COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
for
the
TOWN of AMHERST
100a 1 #974 4 4
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This plan could not have been compiled without the time, ideas,
and assistance of the people of Amherst. Without their willingness to share their thoughts and hopes for the future of the town,
this document could not have adequately presented or attempted to
understand the problems and opportunities the community faces.
t
This plan is deeply indebted to the following individuals for their
personal recollections in helping to fill in the town's history:
Mrs. Celia Salisbury, Albert and Rena Treadwell, Jim and Beulah
Treadwell, Mrs. Audrey Mayo, Charles Phillips, David and Arnie
genniston, Rodell Smith, Carl Humphrey, Carolyn and Roland Jordan,
and Emery Jordan of Osborn. Many other individuals, too numerous
to mention, both from within the community and outside of it contributed much time, energy and knowledge in gathering and editing
data for this document.
Numerous agencies and groups contributed time and expertise to this
plPnning effort. Among them are: The Maine State Archives, Inane
State library, Maine State Plann in g Office, Bureau of Taxation,
Secretary of State, Department of Transportation, Department of
Education, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of
Human Services, land Use Regulation Commission and the Department
of Inland Fisheries and Wile
lfe.
The Eastern Maine Task Force on Aging, The Washington-Hancock County
Community Action Program, The Officials of School AcRmi ri.strative
District #63 along with the officials of the Airline Community
School District and St. Regis and Diamond International Paper
Companies also contributed.
Also this plan is indebted to the various officials of the town of
Amherst for their time, ideas and labor, especially the members of
the town Plpr r in g Board along with the many citizens of the community who served on various committees reviewing and editing different sections of this plan. Len Edelston, Chairman of the Amherst
P l a n r 7Ytg Board deserves special mention for the countless hours and
immense amount of work he has contributed to this document.
CONTENTS
Page
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Background
B. Approach
C. Purpose
D. Scope
E.
F. Summary of Recommendations
Findings
II. REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
A. Introduction
B. Immediate Region
C. Influences External to the Immediate
III. Region
HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE
1
2
3
4
8
8
18
20
IV. HUMAN COMMUNITY
A. Introdution
B. Amherst's Historic Population Trends
C. Recommendations
V. INFRASTRUCTURE
{
C
A. Introduction
B. Existing Situation
C. Recommendations
34
34
44
45
45
84
VI. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
A. Introduction
B. Existing Situation
C. Recommendations
92
92
113
VII. ACTION PROGRAM
A. Introduction
B. Planning Action Program
C. Government Action Program
VIII. APPENDICES
A.
B.
L.
Attitudinal Survey Results
Bibliography
115
115
116
MAPS AND FIGURES
Pac'e
II. REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Figure I. Summary of Ratings for The Soils of
Hancock County
Figure 2. Demographic Characteristics
Figure 3. Elements of Population Change
Figure 4. Employed Labor Force by Industry
Figure 5. Employed Population by Occupation
Figure 6. Place of Employment
Figure 7. Per Capita Money Income
Map 1.
Regional Transportation Map
Map 2.
Regional Land Use Map
Figure 8. Comparative Population Figures
III. HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE
Map 3.
7
9
10
12
13
14
15
16
17
19
Hancock County - Grants and Charters 21
IV. HUMAN COMMUNITY
Figure 9. Historical Population
Figure 10. Amherst's Population From Incorporation and Future Projections
Figure 11. Comparison of Age Distribution
Figure 12. Population by Age Group, 1970-75
Figure 13. Causes of Recent Population Growth
Figure 14. Net Migration
Figure 15. Population Density, 1975
Figure 16. Population Trends
Figure 17. Local Commerce and Industry
V. INFRASTRUC! u±tE
32
Figur e 18. Town Valuation
Figure 19. Town Appropriation
Figure 20. Real Estate Tax
Figure 21. Educational vs Noneducational Expendi-
46
47
48
tures
Figure 22. Educational vs Noneducational Expendi-
tures Graph
Figure 23. Relative Financial Ability
Figure 24. Tree Growth Land - Tree Growth Valuation
Figure 25. 1977 Tax on Land and Buildings
Figure 26. Social Characteristics - Public School
rollment, 1970 and 1977
Figure 27. Amherst School nrollments, 1968-1977
Figure 28. Analysis of Social Cohesiveness
Figure 29. Social-Religious-Civic Organization
Map 4.
Highways and Roads in Amherst
Figure 30. Commrun.ications Services
Figure 31. Transportation
Figure 32. Housing Count - 1978
33
36
37
39
40
41
42
43
49
50
51
52
53
56
57
59
60
63
65
69
72
Page
. V. INFRASTRUCTURE (continued)
Figure
Figure
Figure
Figure
Figure
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
Housing Types
Housing Survey
Year Structure Built - Value of Housing 75
Housing Starts
Housing Need Analysis
Figure 38. Project?rlg the Number of Dwelling Units
Figure
Figure
Map 5.
Map 6.
Figure
Figure
Map 7.
in Amherst
39. Land Subdivision Activity
40. Housing Map Symbols
Housing in Amherst
Blueberry Land in Amherst
41. Land Ownership Patterns
42. Land Use and Housing Survey
Forest Land Ownership
73
74
76
77
78
79
80
81
83
85
86
87
VI. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Map 8.
Union River Drainage
91
Figure 43. Climate Monograph
93
Figure 44. Average Temperature and Precipitation94
Figure 45. Bedrock of Amherst
97
Figure 46. General Soil Description
100
Map 9.
Resource Protection District
103
Map 10.
Vegetation Cover
107
Map 11.
Deer Winter Yards
109
Figure 47. Unique Scenic or Natural Areas Historic Sites/Buildings
11'1
Map 12.
Natural and Scenic Areas
112
IN T R O D U C T I 0 N
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
I
A. BACKGROUND
In 1971, the legislature passed "An Act to Provide Certain State
Level Land Use Controls" with Section 4962 making it mandatory
that all municipalities complete a Comprehensive Plan of themselves before zoning laws of any Lype are enacted. The idea
behind this legislation is to help municipalities do any zoning
in an orderly, fair, and uncomplicated manner. If a community
looks at its assets, its perspective, its problems before they
pass zoning laws, hopefully, they can zone more intelligently,
and more fairly.
With the Chairman of the town PlAnntrig Board on the Hancock
County Planning Commission, he was made aware of the new state
legislation and also the federal funding available for this type
of project. At this same time, the Planning Board was becoming
aware of potential problems with the town's Shoreland Zoning
Ordinance. Namely, the scope of the Shoreland Zoning within
the community and what areas of the town the ordinance had jurisdiction over. The Planning Board also wanted to now set up some
rules for orderly, environmentally sound growth of the community.
It was thought that in order to preserve the "small town"
character of Amherst, the future had to be planned
Therefore, in August, 1977, the Planning Board, Selectmen and
members of the Hancock County Planning Commission met and discussed the idea of doing a comprehensive plan for Amherst. At
this meeting it was decided to hold a special town meeting in
September to explain the plan and its ramifications. After
a lively discussion at the special town meeting, the motion was
made to vote on whether or not to go ahead with a comprehensive
plan. By a large majority the motion was carried and the Plan ning
Board secured a CETA grant to fund the project. In November of
1977, a Planner Assistant and Secretary were hired and
work was begun. One of the first things done was a prelS'inary
survey (in the form of a questionnaire) of all the citizens and
land owners in Amherst. The questionnaire was designed to provide feedback to the Planning Board on how the townspeople felt on
numerous issues.
The Comprehensive Plan is designed to provide the citizens of
Amherst with a framework upon which to build the town's future.
The Plan provides an overall strategy for the citizens and town
government to meet their problems, needs and objectives. The
P l a n n i n g
Board has identified the following as the major planning problems and planning needs:
Problems
1. Amherst is currently inadequately prepared to c o n t r o l growth
at a local level.
2. Amherst is the third fastest growing town in Hancock
County.
3. The Tree Growth Tax Law has produced an inequitable
tax burden upon the residents of Amherst.
4.
Because of weak communication l i n e s , there exists inadequate
community organization and a c t i v i t y .
5.
Confusion is created by the present Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.
Needs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
An ongoing, action-oriented planning process with an
action program based upon locally chosen alternatives.
Land use regulations.
Code Enforcement Officer.
Recreation, communication and other activity that may i m i
to the community.
Amendment and revision of Shoreland Zoning
Ordinance. B. APPROACH
The Planning Board has established committees of townspeople to
review the different sections of the plan. Each committee is
chaired by a member of the Planning Board. As the P l a n n i n g
Assistant submits the report on each section, the committee
reviews the material and draws up various recommendations for
implementation by the town. The committee process is designed to
provide as much ongoing citizen participation as possible to make
this plan truly a document of the town, not something done by
distant bureaucrats.
At the completion of the plan, i t w i l l be submitted to the townspeople
as a whole to be voted upon for acceptance or not at a town meeting.
C. PURPOSE
The purpose of this planning effort is to:
1.
Understand and describe the existing physical environment,
human community and community infrastructure of Amherst
and the internal and external forces which affect the community now, and which may affect i t s future;
2. Understand and describe the attitudes, opinions and
aspirations of the members of the Amherst community toward their
3. community, its problems and its future;
Understand and describe for the members of the Amherst community
the problems faced by the community and its probable
future, assuming that certain conditions, trends, pressures, and
demands continue;
4.
Understand and describe for the members of the Amherst
cammunity the options and alternatives available to them
in
terms of alternative futures from which they will be able to
more effectively select the particular future they wish to
pursue; and
5.
Prepare, based upon an understanding of A through D
above, an action program for the members of the Amherst
community
designed to systematically achieve the future they have
selected.
D. SCOPE
The Comprehensive Plan is designed to be a thorough study of all
aspects of Amherst that may be relevant and necessary for plannirg.
These various aspects have been organized under the following
headings: town history, town infrastructure (taxation, town government,
schools, and services) human community, regional perspective,
physical environment, possible futures of Amherst, and a
recommended action program. The organization of this plan was
derived for the most part from forms suggested by the Hancock
County Planning Commission, Committees of local residents were
formed to discuss and summarize the information contained under each
section. In addition to local material that was researched and
compiled by the Planning Assistant, a number of other sources were
used, among these were: Maine State Archives, U. S. Bureau of
Census, Diamond International Paper Company, Bangor Daily News,
Mine State Library and many more.
As a result of gathering this information and numerous meetings of the
planning board, selectmen and townspeople, the Comprehensive
Plan is drawn together to present a detailed description of
Amherst as it is today and probable changes that may be
encountered in the future. To summarize, the Comprehensive
Plan is an attempt to compile the information that is necessary
for the residents of Amherst to plan effectively and democratically for their future.
The Comprehensive Plan in itself is not an ordinance but simply
a document to present the problems, needs and possible solutions
to the townspeople. In order for the plan to be implemented,
the townspeople must provide the follow through. The Comprehensive Plan is the groundwork to base any further ordinances upon,
E. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Data gathered from state, county and local sources along with
questionnaires returned by the townspeople have found out the
following about the town of Amherst:
1.
The town's population is once again growing and is
projected to continue to grow.
2.
The housing structures within the town are presently
adequate for the town's population and are generally in good
condition. Since 1965 the trend in new housing structures in
Amherst has been that for each new frame house constructed
there are two new house trailers.
3.
The Tree Growth Tax law coupled with large increases in
state property valuation have produced significant tax
increases for local residents. The town's relative
financial ability (see Pig. #23) reflects that the town
isn't getting enough support from non-residents on taxes.
4.
Amherst has a greatly varied, rich and beautiful physical
environment which the townspeople would like to see protected
"as long as we can, in as pure a state as w e c a n " .
5.
Three non-resident timber holding corporations own, by far,
the majority of the land within the town.
6.
The present grammar school is already crowded and with
future population growth expected, the town is faced with
increased school costs for school expansion.
7. There is a lack of organized recreation/social interaction
within the community.
8. The economic base of the community is quite diversified with
people employed in a great number of different types of jobs
professional, clerical, laborer). Townspeople are employed
both within the community and in a number of other localities.
8.
(continued)
The town seems to have a healthy, growing per capita income
especially in view of the fact that 25% of the population
is retired. There does exist the possibility of the town's
tax base erroding as the increased mobile home units begin
to age and depreciate. The town has a fairly large amount
of money in its town surplus account, especially in view of
the present inflation rate.
9.
Amherst has a traditional town meeting-selectman form of
government. Local government in Maine is losing some of its
autonomy because of regional and state regulations.
10, There are a number of structures in Amherst that are of
local historical interest.
11. There are presently three sources of information concerning
town events: a. word of mouth, b. posted notices of
town meetings, and 3. the Union River Electric Co-op newsletter.
SUMMARY OF RECOMENDATIONS
The following list of recommendations for the Comprehensive Plan
for the town of Amherst was produced as a result of study of
questionnaires and meetings with the people of Amherst, and
suggests concern in two major areas: that the rural setting of
the town is a major asset which must be protected; and that
planning in Amherst should not be such as restricts or inhibits
individuals in the use or development of their own land.
The Plan, then, is designed to assure that land use in Amherst
be locally determined and directed; that forces from without
the town boundaries, that is, public government and private
enterprise, not be allowed to prevail in determinations regarding the land use and development in this town.
The following recommendations are presented in summary form and
are more fully described after each section. They are an attempt
to deal with identified problems and needs and to explore existing opportunities.
1. Infrastructure
a. The town should adopt a site plan review ordinance.
b. A subdivision moratorium should be declared
until a subdivision ordinance is implemented.
A Code Enforcement Officer should be either
elected or a p p o i n t e d , o n e i t h e r a l o c a l o r r e g i o n a l
basis.
infrastructure (continued)
d. Town officials should join together with other
regional municipalities in a Joint effort to eliminate
the tax burden created by the Tree Growth Tax Law.
e. The Amherst tax map of 1946 should be revised so that
it is brought up to date.
f. The Shoreland Zoning Ordinance of 1974 should be revised,
so that it is not overly restrictive,
and so that it is in
consistent with current planning efforts.
g. New positions in town government should be created to meet
the need for planning, recreation and preservation of
historical structures.
a. Planning Board of Appeals
b. Conservation Commission
c. Historical Society
h. Low cost housing should be investigated to explore
alternatives to mobile home development. New mobile homes
should be placed on permanent foundations.
2. Physical Environment
a.
b.
c.
d.
The rural landscape, wildlife habitats and scenic areas
of Amherst should be preserved.
Timber practices should be consistent with such conservation.
Areas that are not suitable, because of excessive grade
wetland characteristics or proximity to shoreland should
remain in their natural state.
Any agricultural practices, such as pesticide spraying,
which may seriously and adversely effect the environment
should be carefully reviewed and regulated.
3. Human Common i tv
a, Encourage growth of recreational activities:
1. More active use of town hall as social center; e. g.,
movies, dances, etc.
2. BPJ } park.
b.
Plan f or slo w population gro wth.
c.
Plan to maintain the rural character of Amherst.
REGIONAL
PERSPECTIVE
SI
Approximately 35% of Hancock County has been soil surveyed by the
S o i l Conservation S e r v i c e . Based on this sample survey the following c h a r t
was prepared:
FIGURE 1
PROJECTION
SUMMARY OF RATINGS
for the soils of
HANCOCK COUNTY, MAINE
Based on 986,880 Acres
T o t a l acreage of land plus water - 1,209,600
Approximately 35%of Hancock County has been s o i l surveyed.
7.•of Total
Land Area
Which is
Soil S u i t a b i l i t y __________________ Good-Fair
SECTION I - AGRICULTURE Cultivated Crops
Group I Forage Crops
Group I I Forage Crops
Irrigation
Orchards
Potatoes
Sugar Beets
Good-Fair
Poor-V.Poor
( A c r e s ) __________ ( A c r e s )
SECTION I I - RECREATION
Wilderness Tent S i t e s
Tenting & Picnic Areas
T r a i l e r Park S i t e s
Camps or Cottages
Playing F i e l d s , Shooting Ranges
Golf Courses
Pond Building
Ski Slopes
Roads - Earth, Sand & Gravel
7.2
5.3
6.3
7.0
2.0
.7
.9
42.3
12.1
87.8
49.1
5.8
8.4
19.5
28.8
42.9
71,425
52,005
62,105
64,170
20,133
6,581
8,811
416,977
119,162
866,794
484,225
56,928
83,218
192,250
284,389
423,469
905,661
932,470
922,370
921,786
966,747
979,375
977,145
568,979
866,794
119,162
501,731
929,028
902,738
793,706
701,567
562,487
SECTION I I I - WILDLIFE HABITAT
Openland W i l d l i f e Habitat
Woodland W i l d l i f e Habitat
Wetland W i l d l i f e Habitat
10.8
67.0
8.7
106,475
661,598
86,205
879,481
324,348
899,751
SECTION IV - URBAN, INDUSTRIAL
Septic Sewage Disposal
Lagoon Sewage Disposal
Dumps and Junk Yards
Sanitary Land Fill
Earth Covered Fallout Shelters
House Bldg. w/Septic Sewage Disp.
House Bldg. w/Public Sewage Disp.
Pipe and Sewer Lines
Heavy Building S i t e s
Cemeteries
20.9
19.5
50.1
9.9
29.6
26.4
52.7
55.6
57.9
4.9
206,137
192,250
494,461
97,453
292,413
260,629
520,238
549,097
571,719
47,967
779,819
793,706
491,495
888,503
693,543
725,327
465,718
436,859
414,237
937,989
SECTION V - TREE GROWTH
White Pine
Red Pine
Spruce-Fir
Hardwoods
74.5
17.9
74.5
68.6
735,235
176,990
735,235
677,196
250,721
808,966
250,721
308,760
A.
INTRODUCTION
As the world figuratively "grows smaller" around us, it
becomes more apparent that no community is an island. In
the bygone farming era, life was little influenced by events
much beyond the town lines. As more and more the external
influences begin to affect the way of life in Amherst, the
need to develop new attitudes towards community development and land uses is indicated. It is important to. see
the town in a larger regional perspective so as to understand what changes the region is experiencing and what pressures Amherst may expect that will be exerted upon itself.
B. Th EDIATE REGION
Physically Amherst is quite similar to the other nearby communities. The area is highly glaciated and somewhat mountainous. Amherst's soils, ground water and topography are
generally the same as the surrounding area. The varied
forest makeup in Amherst is quite Lyrical of the towns in the
immediate region. With a large percentage of the town
forested, there is represented a rich natural resource to the
community as is characteristic of our neihboring communities
also.
Amherst has a somewhat larger population than most of its
neighbors with the exception of Waltham and Clifton in Penob-
to
scot County. Amherst appears
be growing in popula t ion at a
faster rate than its neighbors in Hancock County. Figure 9
will visualize the population trends in this region over the
last 100 years.
Amherst's population by age group is quite similar to the region's.
Seven percent of the town's population are 4 years of age or
younger. Twenty three percent of the population is 5-17 years
old and 33% are 18-44 years old. Twenty seven percent of the
population lies in the 45-64 age bracket. This is the one
bracket where Amherst is out of line with the region. Only 20%
of Hancock County as a whole is 45-64 years old. Ten percent
of the town i s 65+ years of age.
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
POPULATION BY AGE
5-17
Amherst
18-44
4564,
1970
7
34
38
54
1975
15
49
69
Percent of Total
1975
7.1
23.2
19
70
197
2,65
2
2,97
8,491
9,085
5
Percent of Total 1975
4
7.7
State of Maine 197
0
197
5
Percent of Total
84,6
812
,2
7
40
7.7
Hancock County
1975
at
Total
15
148
57
21
211
32.7
27.0
10.0
100%
10,912
7,596
4,939
34,590
13,362
7,678
5,588
38,687
23.5
34.5
19.9
14.4
100%
259,22
5
261,91
2
24.8
329,2
2
3846
,2
66
36.3
204,3
7
2044
,7
09
19.3
114,59
2
125,32
9
11.8
992,048
1,057,
956
100%
FIGURE 2
Source: Municipal Characteristics from the Minor Civil Division Data Base, Hancock County,
Maine State Planning Office
ELEMENTS OF POPULATION CHANGE, 1970-75 TotalsAnnual Averages __________
Population
Natural
Net
Population
Natural
Net
Change __ Births, Deaths Increase Migration _______ Change _____ . Births Deaths Increase' Migration
A m he r s t
Hancock Co.
Maine
63
4,555
64,233
14
17
3,263
2,680
98,028
-3
66
583+ 3,972
64,838 33,190+31,043
10,5
759
10,706
2.33 2.83
544
-.5
11
447
97 + 662
16,388 10,806
5,532 +5,174
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, Maine Dept, of Human S e r v i c e s , and Amherst town r e c o r d s .
FIGURE 3
Twenty seven and one half percent of the employed people in
Amherst work within the town or for local employers.
Approximately 20% are employed elsewhere within Hancock
County. Nearly 22% of the citizens are employed in Penobscot
County with the majority of them working in Bangor. Roughly
3% of the people are employed elsewhere namely Washington
County and another 3% are unemployed. Twenty six percent of
the citizens are retired.
The occupations of townspeople are somewhat diversified.
Approximately 30% of the employed are professionals and managers - often of their own businesses. Nearly 25% of the
workers are foremen or heavy equipment operators and 45% of
the employed are clerical, sales workers, laborers and service
workers.
Forestry work is the major industrial employer of the citizens
of Amherst, with 16.5% of the citizens employed therein. Service work employes 29% of the citizens followed by retail
trade with 12% of the people. The remainder of the employment
is diversified into construction (9.6%), manufacturing (12%),
transportation (4.1%) and professional (16.5%).
Per capita money income for Amherst is very near that of the
entire Hancock County region and appears to be growing at a
rate approximately 10% faster than the remainder of the region.
The regionsttransportation system is shown on Map #1. Passenger and freight transportation for the northern region of
Hancock County is by highway. Rail and air transportation for
the region must be obtained in either Bangor or Ellsworth.
Approximately 46% of the housing structures in the community are
for recreational use. This is due in part to the large amount
of forest land in the region and the various forms of recreation this land provides. This situation is similar throughout
this area.
Regional land use patterns are generalized on Map #2. Forest
land predominates in the region with the built up areas mainly
along the major and arterial highways. Agricultural land has
been on the decline for a number of years although this trend
EMPLOYED LABOR FORCE
by INDUSTRY
TOWN of A N R S T
# of
RESIDENTS
% of
TOTAL
12
16.4
9.6
Manuf acturing - Durable Goods
7
5
6.9
Manufacturing - Non-Durable Goods
4
5.5
Transportation
3
4.1
Wholesale and Retail Trade
9
12.3
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
3
4.1
Business and Repair Services
9
12.3
12
16.4
Professional & Related Services
7
9.6
Public Administration
2
2.8
TYPE of INDUSTRY in which EMPLOYED
Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries
Mining
Construction
Personal Services
Entertainment & Recreation Services
Industry not reported
Source: Planning Assistant, 1978
FIGURE 4
EMPLOYED POPULATION '` b
by OCCUPATION
TOWN of A1~TIERST
#
MALES
#
FEMALES
TOTAL
Professional, Technical and
Kindred Workers
4
5
g
12.3
Managers and Administrators
(except Farm Managers)
8
5
13
17.8
Sales Workers
1
1
1.4
5
5
6.9
2
8
10.9
OCCUPATION
Clerical and Kindred Workers
Craftsmen, Foremen and
Kindred Workers
6
Operatives (except
Transport Operatives)
6
6
8 . 2
Transport Equipment
Operatives
4
4
5.5
Laborers (except Farm
Workers)
12
5
17
23 . 3
1
1
2
2.8
1
7
8
Farmers and Farm
Managers
Farm Laborers and
Foremen
Service Workers (except
Private Household Workers)
Private Household Workers
TOTAL EMPLOYED LABOR FORCE*
Occupation Not Reported
44
29
73
10.9
Source: Planning A s s i s t a n t , 1978
FIGURE 5
_PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT
RESIDENTS OFTHETOWN OF, __ Al __RST
NUMBER OF
RESIDENTS
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT
Within Town
PERCENT
28
27.5
6
5.9
Hancock County
14
13.7
Bangor .
13
Ellsworth
Penobscot County ..
9
12.8
8.8
Other
3
2.9
26
25.5
3
2.9
Retired
p
Unem l o y e d
_
Not Reported
Source: Planning Assistant, 1978
FIGURE 6
_
PER CAPITA MO1iEY INCOME
1969
1972,
1974
Change
1969-74
Amherst
Hancock County
2,317
2,510
3,002
3,028
3,562
3,626
53.7
44.5
Maine
2,548
3,052
3,694
45.0
Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census.
26
FIGURE
27
28
may be changing, and it may be economically feasible to farm
some of this land again.
C. INFLUENCES EXTERPATI TO T E IMi ED ASE REGION
These influences include the demand for recreational use and
development of the land brought on by the increase in the
population of the entire state and Hancock County. The
rapidly changing economy and governmental growth are also
factors that will continue to exert pressure on the northern
Hancock County region.
As the population continues to increase in the Bangor area and
expand on the Route 9 corridor along with the population
increase in the Ellsworth area with expansion north from there, the
Amherst region can expect to witness increased demand for land
uses. Primarily this demand Will be manifested in two areas of land
use, housing and recreational demands. The continuing trend of
people moving further from urban areas and commuting for work
and services will undoubtably create increased demand for land to
build on in the region. Also, the increasing population looks more
and more to the Northern Hancock County region for recreation;
hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, canoeing and camping.
As the population external to the immediate region continues to
grow, so will the economy. A growing economy should result in
growing paychecks for inhabitants of the immediate region. As the
immediate region is heavily forested and the American appetite
for paper seems insatiable, residents of the area can expect to see
more intensive use of forest products. This again may help the
local economy but could cause some new concerns a.s to proper
management of this rich resource.
A final area of influence is a growing government with its
increased regulations particularly in land use regulations and
planning. The mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act is an example of this
Gype of regulation. Hopefully this type of regulation will be
channeled so as to help keep the Amherst region as well as the entire
State of Maine; a nice place to live, work and play in the
future for us and future generations.
COMPARATIVE POPULATION
FIGURES
1210
19400
1950
1960.
1970
1975*
198
163
146
151
168
148
211
114
95
86
81
91
75
72
81
236
217
185
156
168
193
227
233
327
729
663
611
527
487
571
664
958
1,358
2,044
118
112
82
54
49
45
76
37
58
41
26
369
382
271
218
171
131
155
132
153
144
108
134
56
61
63
58
39
41
34
46
49
36
33
43
246
304
239
152
115
122
88
134
109
100
123
151
187
0
188
0
189
0
1900
191
0
192
0
Amherst
350
400
375
364
275
Aurora
212
212
175
152
Clifton
348
350
284
Eddington
776
746
Great Pond
Plantation
102
Mariaville
Osborn
Otis
Source: Maine Register
*These f i g u r e s f o r 1975 are estimated.
FIGURE 8
H
I
S
T
O
R
I
C
P E R S P E C T I V E
I I I
Maine experienced six French and Indian Wars occurring off and on
for approximately 150 years and as Hancock County was in the heart
of the disputed territory, it remained a no-mans-land. Little was
known of the interior country as there were no roads, and no
surveying had been done. The weather was thought to be severe and
the land was considered to be poor for farming. Because of these
reasons, virtually no settlement had occurred easi of the
Penobscot River.
Finally, in 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the hostilities
between the English and the wrench and as a result, new settlers
began to settle east of the Penobscot River. In 1762, the General
Court of Massachusetts had granted to David Marsh a large amount
of land in Hancock County; included in this grant were 12
townships, six on either side of the Mt. Desert River. Samuel
Livermore of Boston and six other men were appointed to lay out the
12 townships. When they discovered that each tract of six
townships met at the Mt. Desert River, Samuel Livermore renamed
the river and called it the Union River.
Then came the American Revolution and at the end of this war the
Massachusetts treasury was nearly out of money. Massachusetts
decided to raise revenue by the sale of the large tracts of land
in the District of Maine. The idea of
a
land lottery was finally
settled upon. The land was divided into lots of various sizes and
tickets were sold against the lots. The lottery was not very
successful because people did not want to take a chance on land
they knew nothing about and which was quite inaccessible. Therefore,
Massachusetts began looking for purchasers of large tracts of land.
General Henry Knox of Maine, the Revolutionary war hero, convinced
William Bingham, a wealthy Philadelphia merchant to purchase land.
Bingham
20
(
C
2'
bought one million acres in the Kennebec River watershed and one
million acres east of the Penobscot River. Excepted from this
purchase were the lottery lots that had been awarded and "four
lots of 320 acres each to every township or tract of six miles
square to be reserved for the following purposes; one
for the first settled minister; one for the use of the ministry;
one for the use of the schools; and one for the future appropriation of the General Court". Also, many of the lots awarded in
t h e l o t t e r y drawing were bought up by Bingham from the people who
had won them in the lottery.
Bingham immediately started promotion a n d marketing of his lands. In
1795, he hired General David Cobb of iiassachusetts to be resident
land agent. Cobb soon realized that to develop this land it had to
be made accessible by reasonably good roads.
In 1797, Bingham sold half interest in the "Penobscot Billion" to
the House of Baring, an nglish business concern, Young Alexander
Baring and Bingham decided that in order to increase interest and
sales of the land, they should finance building a settlement
themselves. The location they chose was at the "Great Falls" on the
West Branch of the Union River in Mariaville {named after Bingham's
daughter Maria),about a half mile below the south line of Amherst.
In 1800, a saw mill and several buildings were built at the Falls.
This operation was m a n e d by John Fabrique of Connecticut and
Union River (as Ellsworth was then called). At this time, the only
means of transportation to i-iariaville eras by boat up the Union
River. However, roads were soon cut through the woods. In 1801, a
road was cut to Beddington, These were very rough roads suitable
only for horseback riding and ox carts with two large, heavy
wheels.
Fabrique's employees were hr. Zelotus. Grover, a carpenter, and Mr. Emerson Orcutt, a blacksmith, Soon Mrs. Fabrique
came to Mariaville with Margaret Fletcher and her
Among Mr.
99
sister, Jane Hardison Fletcher; both girls were from Union
River. Not long after, the two girls and Mir. Orcutt and Hr.
Grover went to Ellsworth in a boat and were married. When
they returned from Ellsworth, they settled in what was then
called forth Mariaville which today is Amherst. This was in
1801. Prior to settlement by white men there were "a few
Indians here" (as the name Indian Camp Brook suggests). Even
the Indians had no permanent camps in the area; they generally
were just moving through, trapping and hunting. Each year
thereafter a few families would arrive and by 1808, there
were about a dozen families living in the settlement.
Amherst received its name from Lord Jeffrey Amherst of England.
Amherst came to Lmerica in 1758 at the suggestion of William
Pitt (the founder of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). lord Jeffrey
was the general in charge of the English troops wile' captured
the renouned French fortress of Louisberg on Cape Breton Island
during the French and Indian wars. Amherst, Massachusetts and
Amherst, New Hampshire were also named for Lord Jeffrey Amherst,
For the first few years Amherst grew quite slowly. Several
factors were responsible for this. Bingham died in 1804 and
his trustees did not have as much interest in the land project
and they did not support it. Also, the war of 1812 caused many
problems for eastern Maine and made it difficult to get new
settlers. But, the main reason settlement was slow was the
insistence by Bingham and his agent Cobb that the land be
settled by farmers. The timber stands were in general, not
commercially cut. A combination of factor: resulted in Amherst
starting to grow and prosper for a number of years. By 1810,
the road from the Penobscot River to Beddington was passable
and by 1816, General Cobb had pushed the road all the way to
the St. Croix River at Calais.
In 1820, Col. John Black of Ellsworth was appointed resident
land agent for the Bingham estate and the Baring family to
replace General Cobb who retired. John Black saw that the
35
future of Eastern Maine was in lumber and not farming. Lumbering brought much prosperity to Amherst and the region. The
population began to increase so that by 1831 there were 196
people in Amherst.
Amherst was a good location for settlement because it had the
natural resources needed by settlers; water, fertile soil,
hard and soft wood and meadows for wild hay. Most of the early
settlers were young and eager to work hard to get ahead. The
first homes were log cabins but by the early 1820's frame houses
and barns were going up. It was easy for people to purchase
land from the Bingham trustees. The land sold for one dollar per acre
and people were given a long period of time in which to pay with time
extentions i f needed. In 1822, Amherst was set apart from Mariaville
and on February 5., 1331 was incorporated as the 290th town in
Maine. (Prior to this, Amherst had been designated as
Township #26.) By 1830, the roads were improved enough to
allow horse drawn wagon traffic. Amherst has approximately
six locations on streams that are capable of generating enough
hydro power to run a mill. Uith this power, by the early 1830's two
tanneries had been built in Amherst. One was a small operation
built in the neighborhood of Jellison H i l l . In 1332, three men
from Boston,. Mace Tisdale, Simeon K. iie:•rins and Lucuis.L. Flower,
purchased from the Bingham Estate, two l o t s of land on either side
of "Governor's Falls" on the Union River and the following
year they constructed a large tannery. It was noted in the
purchase that the men were to keep a sluice may in their dam
so that logs from up the river could be driven through and on
down to Ellsworth. This tannery employed an average of 35 men
there besides the people employed in the woods cutting the
hemlock and peeling its bark which was used to tan the hides.
In 1841, the tannery was sold to Mr. inning for twenty
thousand dollars. In 1842, a site on the west side of the dam
was leased to Jonathan Barker of Amherst for a grist mill. And
then sometime later on the Last side of the mill pond, a
sawmill was put into operation along with a
36
shingle mill, Apparently another small tannery was constructed
o n th e r i v e r at Silsby's Falls but this burned before 1860.
was on, tanners and skilled workmen were imported from
Scotland and Canada. Two large boarding homes were erected to
house the workers. Farming was important as food was needed
The boom
for the people employed in the mills and in the woods operations.
Also much feed grain and hay was produced to feed the many horses
and oxen used in the woods. Soon a saw mill, four shingle mills
and another grist mill were in operation. Doctors, ministers,
blacksmiths and other tradesmen came an d settled. Six stores
were in operation (two of them were millinery) and Sam Silsby
ran a brickyard near the Aurora town line. (Other accounts
place the brickyard on the banks of the Union River where Chick
Brook enters it.) This boom continued to draw more people here
to provide services and food for those employed in the local
industries. In 1843, the church building was completed in
Amherst and has remained to this day a great moral and social
center of the community. Four schools were built and utilized
to provide education for the children of the town.
The lumber operators did not own the timber lands they cut on
nor did they make much effort to buy the land. For years
people had cut most anywhere due to the fact that there was so
much public land. But, with John Black nor managing the
Bingham lands, he resolved to put a stop to this "plundering",
which he did do within a short time. The lumber operators now
began purchasing stumpage from the Bingham Estate. As the
years went by and the Bingham lands were sold off, stumpage
agreements were worked out with the new owners. Amherst, in
the 1850 census, now had 323 people. In 1855, the large tannery
at Governors Falls was once again sold to A. H. Buzzell & Son.
By the mid 1850's, as General Cobb's road had been much improved,
stage coaches were running regularly through Amherst for Bangor
and Calais.
37
By 1852, the virgin pine had been cut off so the lumbermen began
cutting sapling pine and virgin spruce. After the Civil War,
the first growth timber had been cut off and lumbering was not
as important as it had formerly been. Many people began peeling bark and hauling it to the tanneries.
Apparently the Civil War brought some changes to Amherst, as it
did t o many Maine towns. In 1860, the population of Amherst
had been 384 but in 1870, it was dawn to 350. People left to
go to the industrial centers and to the west for their fortunes. At
this time there were 4 3 men living in Amherst who had been
Union soldiers. As the tannery was in full operation, the
local economy remained good and by 1830, the population was up to
400 people. This was the decade of the towns economic zenith. Some
reports say that at one time there were as many as 500 people in the
community. But after 1880 there was a general decline in the old
methods of tanning as chemicals were beginning to be used. There were
at least three important reasons for the switch to chemicals from
hemlock bark.
1.
2.
3.
A steady impoverishment of the states supply of hemlock.
The ne w chemicals were faster.
Since plant locations became less dependent on nearby
hemlock, etc. it became more profitable to have leather
preparation conducted near its principal markets. That
meant boot and shoe manufacturers, concentrated largely
in several cities in eastern Massachusetts.
By the end of the nineteenth century, the tannery industry in Maine
had nearly vanished. The tanning operation here was gradually slowing do wn a l s o . Amherst's population in 1890 was down to
375 people. The towns decline was starting.
In 1887, the stage lines that had been running through Amherst were
discontinued. Steamboat service was inagurated to Calais, i t could
carry the mail cheaper and was much more comfortable
38
for the passengers. By the 1890's, both lumbering and farming
were starting to decline, although they were still the chief
occupations of the citizens. Maine farmers simply could not
compete with the prairie farmers of the Midwest, where modern
farm equipment was so efficient on their flat, unobstructed
land. By 1900, the town's population had only declined to 364,
but then about 1904 the tannery burned. Many people believed
the fire was intentionally set in order to collect insurance on
the mill as it was obviously feeling the changes in tanning
methods. Within a year, more than thirty families moved out of
Amherst as they no longer had employment.
The tannery fire effected not only those directly employed at
the mill, but also many who worked in the woods harvesting the
bark. Those people in the town who grew food for the men and
animals employed in the various phases of the tannery operation
found their market greatly reduced. Also, the stores, tradesmen, etc. experienced the same phenomenon. Everyone in the
community was obviously affected in some manner. The 1910
census showed Amherst's population had declined by 89 people or
approximately one quarter of the total population.
Shortly after 1910, with the continued decline in farming, much
of the cleared land was allowed to revert to blueberry land and
the berry crop became a commercial business in the area. Some
farming was still done and men still worked in the woods although
on a smaller scale as the demand for bark was now gone. The men
in the woods now were cutting trees that were driven down the
river to sawmills in Ellsworth to be cut into lumber. Some men
were also cutting four foot pulpwood for the paper mills. The
tannery had owned approximately 2600 acres of timberland in
Amherst in various sized lots. This eventually.-was sold off to
different individuals who then harvested the wood.
At this time, Amherst had a very active social life. The town
hall had been constructed around 1895 and was used for many
dances, agricultural fairs,plays,
etc. Around 1910 or 1915 an
39
addition was attached to the back end of the building which made
the place the size it is today. In 1901, the Goodwill Grange
was chartered and held its meetings in the store owned by
Buzzeli & Rice at the tannery. Shortly after the tannery burned,
the Grange acquired the store building and had it moved from
Tannery Loop Road to its present location. The Amherst-Aurora
Congregational Church was a great social center of the community
with services, religious pagents and Ladies Aid. And of course
the stores in the center of town (Amherst Corner) were always a
place people could get together and discuss issues of the day.
In 1905, the Union River Telephone Company was organized to
connect the towns of Waltham, hariaville, Otis, Osborn, Great
Pond, Aurora and Amherst. This greatly increased the communications between the people in the area and added much to their
ability to socialize, Amherst and the other towns in the area
remained a tightly knit social community.
In 1911, Ernest Richardson of Aurora purchased the first automobile in the area. As the roads were continually improved,
more people became interested in autos. By the early 1920's,
cars rapidly began replacing horses as the primary means of
transportation. This change almost immediately put the local
blacksmith shops out of business.
With the advent of the automobile, sIn ost everything tended to
become more centralized and people began to think more in terms
of Ellsworth or Bangor for their needs. This continued the
decline in smR33 local businesses. As a shop or mill burned
down, the proprietor would not rebuild and they would either
find a new vocation or more likely move from the area. Also,
agriculture (except for blueberry growing) continued its downward trend. In 1920, the towns population was down to 198 from
the 275 just ten years erlier, a drop of 28%0 of the total
population. As this spiral continued, more small businesses
closed for lack of clientele and as less services and jobs were
available locally, more people would move to the larger communities. As the old farmers died or gave up farming, no one took
it up as it no longer paid to farm. The young often had left
home for the larger towns and no one was left to look after the
property or the buildings. By the late 1930's, even much of the
blueberry land was abandoned and the fields began to fill in
with bushes and trees. Many of the old homesteads fell into
their cellars from lack of use and maintainance and the land was
either sold off or acquired by the town for taxes. Also, fire
claimed a number of the large homes, never to be rebuilt again.
In 1931, Samuel Pitt constructed a steam powered saw mill on
Tannery Loop Road near Indian Camp Brook. The mill generated
its own electricity and had a number of lights going at night.
A welcome sight to the townspeople at that time. The mill was
in operation until 1938 when it went backrupt and was torn down
and the lumber sold off.
During the 1930's, the "Air Line" was more improved and tarring
was started. The first piece to be tarred was a four mile piece
centered at the Amherst-Aurora town line. Each year more was
paved, eventually all the way west to Eddington. The automobile
and improved roads continued to give the people more mobility
and as a result, even those living here started socializing outside the community. The Saturday night dances, grange suppers,
and church fairs became less and less frequent. By 1940, the
towns population was down to 146 people, the lowest point since
the census started counting. In 1940, the Union River Electric
Co-op was formed and the power lines were strung in 1941. This
brought electricity to the area for the first time and was very
much welcomed by the citizens.
Then the decade of the 50's brought the television into most
homes. This was the death blow to the small town social
patterns. People now stayed.home to watch TV or else jumped in
the car for a relatively easy ride to entertainment in Ellsworth,
2q
Bangor or beyond. With the lack of patronage, most any community
social interaction was doomed to failure.
c
Through the 50's and 60's, the towns population more or less
stabilized with some normal in and out migration. In 1970, the
population figure stood at 148, but by 1975 the population had
risen to 211 people. The automobile and steadily improved roads
combined with the more recent phenomenon of people moving from
urban areas to suburbs and the country may have "turned the
tide's on the population out migration. People can now live in
Amherst and commute to Ellsworth or Bangor for employment.
There are a few small local employers, probably the largest
being the Paul Bunyan Furniture Co. located in the center of
Totin. The Company went into operation in 1957 making furniture stock and parts. Today they manufacture assembled furniture out
of locally harvested pine, maple and birch. The mill provides
employment for a feel people in the woods and for some others at
the mill, Many townspeople have- worked there at one time or another.
The Valley High Restaurant also provides employment for local
people and here again the number employed there flucuates. Some
people in Amherst are self-employed and they also may employ
others from the community. Herbert Jordan runs a timber harvesting operation in Amherst and he usually employs four to six
people from the area.
About the turn of the century, particularly after the tannery
burned, non-residents began to own more and more of the property
i n town. In 1906, the town came into ownership of the real estate owned
by the Hancock Leather Company (the Buzzell & Rice Tannery) for nonpayment of the 1904 tax. This property was then sold off to mostly nonresidents investing in timberland.
42
Also, as people moved out of town they s t i l l ot'rned their property,trhich eventually was sold. Here again in many instances it was
sold to non-residents building up large holdings of timberlands. Isuch
property was acquired by the town, again, for non-payment of taxes
from people who had moved out due to lack of work after the Tannery
burned. This property was then sold off more often than not to nonresident. A number of these lots have now been bought up by
approximately six non-resident landholders, primarily St. Regis Paper
Co. (8300 acres), Diamond International Paper Co. (4,460 acres), and G.
P. Webber Timberlands (5,440 acres).
43
HUMAN
COMMUNITY
IV
HISTORICAL
POPULATION
TOWN OF
A*RST
1860
1790
384
1930
163
1800
1870
350
1940
146
1810
1880
400
1950
151
1820
1890
375
1960
168
1970
148
1830
196
1900
364
1840
1 96
1910
275
323
1920
.198
1850
FIGURE 9
Source: Hancock County Planning Commission, 1978
7,
AM. I ERST' S POPULATION FROM INCORPORATION
THROUGH 1975 AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS
Population
Projections
1831 - 196 1840
- 196 1850 - 323
1980
--
226
1985 - 235 1990
1860 - 384 1870
- 244 1995 -
-
254 2000 - 264
350
1880
-
400 1890 - 375
1900 - 364 1910 - 275 1920 - 198 1930 - 163 1940 - 146 1950
- 151 1960 - 168 1970 - 148 1975 -- 211
FIGURE 10
Source: Hancock County Planning Commission, 1978
A.
INTRODUCTION
The Human Community is just what the name implies it is the people of Amherst. It includes population trends,
where the towns people work,and what they do for a living
and where do they go for recreation, shopping and services.
Human Community also shows the age and sex make up of
Amherst.
Most importantly, Human Community through the Attitudinal
Survey provides a look at the citizens' attitudes, wants
and needs.
B.
AMBERST'S HISTORIC POPULATION TRENDS
In 1831 when Amherst applied to the State Legislature to
separate from Mariaville and become a town itself, there
were 196 settlers here. Then in 1832, three men from Boston;
Mace Tisdale, Simeon K. Hewins and Lucuis L. Flower purchased
from the Bingham Estate, two lots of land on either side of
"Governor's Falls" on the Union River and the following year
they constructed a large tannery. The tannery employed a
large number of people (an average of 35) besides men employed
in the woods cutting hemlock and peeling its bark which was
used to tan the hides.
In 1840, there were still 196 people here but by now the town's
economy was starting to grow. Farming became v e r y im po r t a n t
as
food was grown to feed the many new workers in town. Also,
much hay and feed grain was grown and sold to feed the horses
and oxen used in the woods. Two large boarding houses were
erected to provide housing for the workers. Workmen were
coming from Canada and as far away as Scotland. In 10 years
the population went up to 323 (1850 census) people.
Soon a saw mill, shingle mills and grist mills were built and
put into operation, Tradesmen, a doctor, a minister and
blacksmith settled in Amherst. Eventually six stores were
opened in the town. The growing economy continued to draw
more people here to work at various occupations. By the mid
1850's, the Air Line Road had been much improved and stage
coaches were running regularly through Amherst to Bangor and
'5
Calais. The town, as well as the area was pretty much self
sufficient and this created a number of auxilliary jobs in
the community that today are done in the larger towns or
even far away in major cities and the finished product is
bought from stores in Bangor or Ellsworth. By 1860, the
population was up to 384 people,
Shortly after 1860, the Civil War erupted and a number of men
joined the Union in the war effort and as was true with many
towns in the state, may of those who left to fight did not
return to their home town. After the war, many people moved
to other parts of the country, especially the newly opened
mid west with its rich, flat land. So in the 1870 census,
Amherst's population had dropped slightly to 350.
But the economy here was still strong, there was plenty of
work available and the tannery was in full operation. This
was the decade of the economic and population high points of
Amherst. Some sources say there were up to 500 people living
here at one time in this period. The U. S. Census of 1880
shows 400 citizens in Amherst; 50 more than 10 years earlier.
Soon after 1880, the method of tanning hides changed drastically.
Chemicals were replace hemlock bark in the tanning process.
Since plant location became less dependent on having nearby hemlock, large tanneries were soon constructed much closer to their
markets, this meant eastern Massachusetts. This phenomenon was
beginning to be felt in Amherst and at the tannery. Apparently,
there was less work in the area and the local economy began to
slow down. By 1890, the census shows 375 people down from the
town's high of ten years previously. When the tannery slowed
down, the demand for other goods (food crops, hay, store goods)
also fell. Consequently, in the 1900 U. S. Census, Amherst's
population was slightly down again to 364.
About 1904, the tannery burned, It was a major disaster for
Amherst and its citizens. Many people were immediately without
jobs. The fire affected not only those employed at the tannery,
but also many who worked in the woods harvesting the bark.
Nearly everyone in the community was affected in some manner,
including the immediate reduction in business of the local farmers,
storekeepers and tradesmen. Also, a great number of
COMPARISION OF AGE DISTRIBUTION
STATE OF MAINE AND TOWN OF __________
AMTERST
1975
50
1
POPULATION
by AGE GROUP,
TOWN OF
.1970
AMHERST
Under 5
7
5 -!7
34
18-44
38
4 5 - 64
54
65+
15
TOTAL POPULATION ___ 148
POPULATION
by AGE GROUP,
TOWN OF
1975
AMHRST
Under 5
15
5- 17
49
18- 44
69
45- 64
57
65+
21
TOTAL POPULATION. __ 211
Source: U. S. Bureau of the Census
FIGURE 12
people instantly moved from the community. By 1910, the
population had declined to 275 people.
Farming was s t i l l done as was work-big in the woods, but both on a
smaller scale than before, About this time, blueberries were starting
to become a commercial crop, so much of the farm land was allowed
to revert to blueberry land. But the local economy could not overcome
the loss of the tannery, and in the 1920 census, the population had
again dropped now down to 198.
In the 1920's, the automobile rapidly began to replace the
horse as the primary mode of transportation. With the advent of the
automobile and the improved roads, people began to look more towards
Ellsworth and Bangor for many of their needs. This continued the
decline of the small local businesses. Also, agriculture continued to
decline as a means of making a living. In 1930, the population was
down to 163 people, the lowest point since before the town was
incorporated. This trend continued through the 1930's. Even
much of the blueberry land was abandoned and allowed to grow
up with bushes and trees. In 1940, the population had dropped to
146 people, the lowest point ever in the towns population.
Throughout the 1950's and 1960's, the town's population grew
slightly; from 151 in 1950 up to 168 in 1960. In 1970, the
population had dropped down to 148. These figures all represent normal birth,
death and in and out migration figures. But by 1975, the
population had risen to 211 people. The continu-ally improved
roads and the automobile combined with the more recent
phenomenon of people moving from urban and suburban
areas to the coun L y may have changed the pattern on the populaion-migration. From 1970 to 1975, Amherst had a net in migration of 69
people.
The U. S. Bureau of the Census' population projections to the
year 2000 show a steady increase in population for Amherst and the
surrounding area. I t is believed that the trend of people moving into
52
rural areas will continue, however, there are a number of
variables (i.e. the future price of gasoline) that may affect
the projected population figure.
CAUSES OF RECENT POPULATION GROWTH IN
YOUR TOWN: NATURAL INCREASE VS NET
IN-MIGRATION
Population growth is always caused by one or both of these two factors:
1)
Natural increase -- this is the difference between: a) the number of live births
in your town and b) the number of deaths in your town. These statistics are
available from the Town Clerk or Health Department.
2)
Net in-migration -- t h i s is the difference between the number of people
moving into your town and the number of people moving out of your town.
It may be interesting to know how much of your town's growth in recent years has
been due to natural increase and how much has been due to net in-migration.
To figure your town's natural increase between the 1970 and 1977 censuses, do the
following arithmetic:
15 ______
= Number of live births
21 ______
= Number of deaths from April 1, 1970 to
-6 ______ = Natural increase from
from April 1, 1970 to March 31, 1977
March 31, 1977
April 1 , 1970 to March 31, 1977
To figure your town's net in-migration between 1970 and 1977 censuses, do
the following:
6 3 ______ = Total population increase between 1970 census and 1977
census
6 _____ = Natural increase from April 1, 1970 to March 31, 1977
6 9 _____ = Net in-migration between 1970 census and 1977 census
If the natural increase in a town is greater than the town's total population increase,
the town has experienced a net out-migration.
Which accounted for more growth in your town -- natural increase or net in-migration?
What percentages of growth did each factor account for? What reasons can you suggest
to explain the amount of net in-migration (or net out-migration) in recent years?
F IG U R E 1 3
*For current figures contact HCPC
S o u r c e : Town R ecords
NET MIGRATION
.
Analysis of birth and death statistics for a town indicate whether or
not i t s population should be changing as a result of natural increase. When this
information is compiled for a decade and compared with the
results of two censuses, it can be determined whether the population
change is the result of a natural change or the product of in or out
migration. This table shows what happened in the town between the years
1970 and 1977.
B = Births 1970 - 1977:
15
D = Deaths 1970 - 1977
21
N = Difference between B&D
*-6
1970 population
148
77P = 1977 population
211
70P =
Net Migration, 1970 - 1977 is the di ff er ence between 77P and the
sum of 70P plus N. Note: When 70P + N is smaller than 77P, it
indicates an IN-MIGRATION
O+).
NET MIGRATION, 1970 - 1977, for the TOWN OF
211
AMIERS T
142
69
77P
70P + N
In comparison, past net migration has been:
1960 - 70
5
S o u r c e : U. S. Bureau of the C e n s u s and Amherst town r e c o r d s
F I G U R E 14
POPULATION DENSITY, 1975
Acreage
Town
Town**
25,438.5
5,828.5**
Sa. Miles
39.75
9.11**
Hancock County 1,083,407*
1,692.82*
Maine
31,884.85
20,418,612
Persons Per Square Mile
1270
1212
3.72
5.31
16.25
23.
Change
42.74
6
42.52
' 20.73
23.12
11.53
31.16
33.18
6.48
FIGURE 15
*This f i g u r e includes unorganized t e r r i t o r y .
**Excludes 19,610 acres under Tree Growth.
Source: Planning Assistant, 1978
AI
POPULATION TRENDS
I-
a
500
475
450
425
400
375
350
325
300
275
250
225
200
175
150
125
100
75
50
25
0
TOWN OF AMHERST
YEARS
FIGURE 16
----------
P
a
s
t
III Ill I I I I I■ = M . 11INNIMINIMIll
Ill II 11111
■Mlllllll1111 El 111
III II III •I III OM III El 1111■1 El III II II
P
I II
o
OM
MI III III NUM IN = I 111 M I III EMI El Ill
p
El
El El II III IIIAMIKKIEl NI
111
u
l
a
t
i1
1
1111111111111M MI1111111111111EMI111ElElII IIEMI
o
1
1I
n1
------------ Population Projection
Source: Hancock County Planning Corrnniss_ion, 1973
1111 M I M I . MINI MEER 11111
Illlll
Ill El
EMI1111MI■1111■1■1IM■111111REIMEN
1111MINENI1111
M111111111161111.
Iklll
MM. NI MI El III
El
LOCAL COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
WITHIN THE TOWN OF ______
RETAIL & WHOLESALE BUSINESSES
F . I . Webber & Sons
Mace O i l Company
AME RST __________________________
EMPLOYEES
2
2
SERVICE BUSINESSES
Valley High R e s t a u r a n t
9
Salisbury Store
2
(
INDUSTRIES
, Paul
Bun y an Furniture
Werbert Jordan
7
6
(
Source: P l anning A s s i s t a n t , 1978
t_
FIGURE 17
C. RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations are derived from responses in
the Attitudinal Survey:
1. In the Attitudinal Survey, fifty percent of the
respondants indicated a desire for an active social
center within the community. A tDwn conservation
commission should organize and promote expanded town
social events in the manner of a PTA or church group,
such as, planning a dance or movie each month at the town
social center. As indicated in the survey, a large number
of people would like to see the town hall repaired,
maintained, and utilized as the town social center.
Also, many respondants indicated they would like the
town to acquire a piece of property to be used for a
ball field and other outdoor activities.
2. By an overwhelming majority, the people of Amherst
have indicated they want to maintain the rural character
of the town, and try to maintain a stable population
growth. As Amherst is now growing in population and is
likely to continue to do so, the town should prepare itself
to plan for a slow population growth. By a vast majority,
the citizens have indicated they would like to discourage
more seasonal homes and related activities in the
community.
3, The townspeople would like to see traditional local resources
(i.e. agriculture, wood) developed to provide more employment
for year round residents. A significant number of people
would like to see light industry (i.e. a small wood manufacturing plant) developed in town. But by an almost unanimous majority, the townspeople don't want to attract or
encourage heavy industry.
C
E
O
M
M
U
N
I
T
Y I N F R A S T R U C T U R
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
V
A.
B.
INTRODUCTION
A coTn ityts infrastructure includes all aspects of community life: government, land ownership, transportation,
communication and human services. It consists of the
traditions, institutions, services and facilities through
which people interact with each other and the physical
environment.
EXISTING SITUATION
1. Government and Taxation
Amherst is an organized town with the traditional Town
Meeting-Selectman form of government. There are three
selectmen, twenty other elected and two appointed officials. The selectmen are also the town assessors and
overseers of the poor. The other elected officials
include a moderator for the town meeting, a town clerk,
three members of the school committee and three members
to the school trustee board. Also, there is a town
constable, tax collector, town treasurer, two f i r e wardens, five members of the town planning board, a sexton
and one member of the Hancock County Regional Planning
Commission.
The two appointed officials are a plumbing inspector who
inspects and approves new plumbing installations in
Amherst and a public health officer, who works in conjunction with the public health nurse in overseeing the
general health of the citizens in the community.
The following lists and graphs portray the recent trends
in valuation, taxation, and the expenditure of this tax
money in different areas. There is also a chart to show
how Amherst compares in relation to communities in our
a r e a i n terms of ability to fund town services.
4
TOWN VALUATION
Resident
1977 $394,876.00
Percent
Total
35:90%
Percent
$705,045.00
Total
Total
64.10% 1,099,921.00
.227,703.53
77.24% .294,794
1976
.67,091.00
1975
82,278.45
31.79% 176,546.61
.53
68.21% 258,825.06
1974
86,970.00
32.59%
179,911.00
67.41% 266,881.00
1973
29,951.00
31.31%
65,712.00
68.69% 95,663.00
1972
49,360.00
31.08% 109,480.00
68.92% 158,840.00
1971
42,600.00
31.24%
93, 780.00 68.76%
1970
1969
42,570.00
31.67%
91,840.00
136,
380.00
68.33% 134,410.00
43,010.00
32.10%
90,990.00
67.90% 134,000.00
1968
41,710.00
31.425
91, 020.00 68.58% 132, 730.00
1967
43,090.00
32.90%
87, 870.00 67.10% 130,960.00
47, 450.00 36.38%
82,990.00 63.62 130,440.00
%
79, 830.00 62.27% 128,190.00
1966
22.76%
Non-Resident
1965
48,360.00
37.73%
1964
44,410.00
36.75%
1963
41,880.00
34.95%
76,430.00 63.25 120,840.00
%
77, 940.00 65.05% 119,820.00
1962
38,855.00
33.76%
76, 250.00 66.24% 115,105.00
1961
39,745.00
39.75%
73,500.00
60.25% 113,245.00
1960
40,018.00
36.58%
69,388.00
63.42% 109,406.00
FIGURE 18
62
MMMMMM E MMMME MM EM
MM EMMA IM MM MI M E
MMMMMMMM EMM MM 1 f li
I
EMMMI MMME ME 1
M
= NM = MHUM =I
MI MMMEM ME ME M
1E
MM M M/ M M MM
MM
A
M MM : E F
M
M
M
E
M
M
'''
O
R
O
M
N
M
E
M
M
M
E
E
M
IMO rNMENammME ME M E
mcm
'
Rm
I
c'm
%
Pun
_
a
_ .
ETr
m
,
Resident
dent
REAL ESTATE
TAX
Non-Resident
.
1977
1976
$8,956.38
5,098.92
$18,331.17
1975
Total
Ratg
17,305.47
$27,287.55
22,404.39
326/1000
376/1000
6,582.28
14,123.73
20,706.01
80/
1974
6,609.72
13,673.24
20,282.96
1973
6,169.91
13,536.67
1972
5,676.43
12,590.23
18,266.66
1971
4,004.40
8,815,32
12,819.72
31.15/
394/
1970
4,086.72
8,816.64
12,903.36
$96/
1969
3,440,80
7,279.20
10,720.00
380/
1968
2,919.70
6,371.40
1967
1966
3,016.30
6,150.90
9,167.20
3,890.90
6,805.18
10,696,08
370/
382/
1965
3,772.08
6,226.74
1964
3,552.80
6,114.40
9,998.82
9,667,20
378/
380/
1963
4,397.40
8,183.70
12,581.10
31.05/
1962
3,691.23
7,243.75
1961
3,378.33
6,247.50
10,934.98
9,625.83
$95/
385/
1960
3,281.48
5,689.82
8,971.30
382/
376/
19, 706.5832,06/
9,291.10
370/
In 1976, town residents owned 11.75% of the land and
they paid 22.76% of the total property tax. Nonresidents owned 87.59% of the land and they paid 77.24%
of the total property tax.
In 1977, year round residents paid 35.9% of the total
property tax on 11.75% of the land. Non-residents owned
87.59% of the land and they paid 64.1% of the total
property tax.
FIGURE 20
64
EDUCATIONAL VS NONEDUCATIONAL EXPENDITURES
Percent
Percent
of
Nonof NonEducational Educational Educational Educational ,Total T2
1960 $ 6,630.00
1961
7,130.00
1962
7, 5 30.00
1963
9,286.57
1964
9,713.65
1965
9,087.45
1966
9,176.93
1967
9,068.09
1968
9,197.93
1969
8,200.00
1970
10,893.30
1971
10,535.95
1972
17,325.%
1973
17,654.01
63%
65,6
66%
72%
73%
6555
65%
$ 3,939.72
37%
3,807.43
3,882.0335%
34:6
3;552.35 28%
3,603.50
27%
4.699.65 3 4 %
35:6
4,891.52
1 0 , 272.77 5356
10,569.72
10,93743
11,412.03
12,838.92
13,317=15
15,787.10
14,068.45
19,340,86
47%
4,083.30
31;5
13:2.8123
69%
6,635.41
45%
14.835.41
55%
34%
336
;6,475,80
66
5,582.50
5,109.45
67%
5,986.25
26%
74%
69%
7,822.03
31%
8;240.14
34% 1 0 , 5 5 5 , 9 0
1974
15,884.16
66%
1975
12,431.30
546
1976
14,899.06
55%
1977
18,537.55
50%
4690
12,169.75
45%
15,645.40
23, 311.81
25,476.04
2rr,124.30
22,987.20
27,068.81
37,417.27
18, 879.72 50%
from 1960 to 1977, municipal
expenditures in Amherst have increased a total of 254%.
FIGURE 21
49
32.5
30
27.5
25
22.5
20
17.5
15
.
4
.
_
1245
EDU CATIO NAL
10
7.5
j
A
5
2.5
-'
0
621960
63
64
61
65 66
67 68
69
70
71
EDUCATIONAL vs
NON-EDUCATIONAL EXPENDITURES
72
73
74
s
75
76
77
78
79
80 FIGURE 22
'k o_1iar5 in thousand
s
vi
C
RELATIVE FINANCIAL ABILITY
Population
State Valuation
1.977
Amherst
Valuation Per Capita,
0
148
211
$290,000
72
80
260,000
900,000
3,611.11
11,250.00
Otis
123
160
950,000
6,350,000
7,723.58
39,687.50
fariaville
108
140
390,000
2,000,000
3,611.11
14,285.71
Clifton
233
350
690,000
3,150,000
2,961.37
9r000,00
;Jalth.am
167
210
360,000
1,350,000
2,155.69
6,428.57
Aurora
$1,000,000 $1,959.46
1227
$ 4,739.34
Relative financial ability t e l l s us how Amherst compares to
towns in the area in terms of ability to finance town services,
Valuation per capita should be noted particularly to compare
Amherst to the towns in the region. A
high per capita valuation will usually indicate a relatively large
amount of non-resident property in town. I f the .town's per
capita valuation is more than that of the average regional town
i t indicates that financing town services may create less of a
burden, on resident property tax than i t does in the majority of
towns in the region.
FIGURE 23
TRrF GROWTH LAND
Acres
Value
Tax
Diamond International
4,459.5
St. Regis Paper Company 8,301.0
G. P. Webber Timberland 5,440.0
741.5
Harold B. Moore
Clare S. Doolittle
668,0
111,058
209,691
137,637
23,090
19,349
2,887.51
19,610.0
500,826
13,021.45
5,451.97
3,578.56
600.34
503.07
TREE GROWTH VALUATION (1977)
30.50/acre
Soft Wood
19.40/acre
Mixed Wood
7.80/acre
Hardwood
40.00/acre
Other
400.00/acre
Camp lots
2,000.00/acre
Roads
Approximately 78% of the land in Amherst is valuated and
taxed under Tree Growth Law. On this land, the town collects
47.7% of its total tax revenue. The $500,826 valuation of
Tree Growth land represents 45.5% of the total town valuation.
Out of a total town acreage of 25,306.9 (39.75 s quare miles),
19,610 acres (30.64 square miles) are under Tree Growth leaving
a balance of 5,828.5 acres.
Percent of Total Tax Collected Percent of
Tax Revenue
(land only)
Land Owned
10.6%
2,889.64
11.77%
= Residents
47.7%
13,021.45
78%
= Tree Growth
In 1977, year round residents paid 32.8 of the total property tax on 11.77% of the land. Non-residents owned 87.71% of
the land and they paid 67.2% of the total property tax.
*This figure includes the tax paid on both the buildings and the
FIGURE 24
land.
FIGURE 24
1977 TAX ON LAID AND BUILDINGS
Zed ________________________ Buildin&s
Percent
Tax
Percent
Tax
Resident
10.6
2,889.64
22.2
6,066.74
Non-Resident
13.3
3,627.00
6.2
1,682.72
Tree Growth
47.7
13,021.45
n/a
n/a
Tax/acre taken in on Tree Growth land in 1977 = .66 acre.
I f the Tree Growth Land had been valued at $40/acre, (the
standard woodland valuation in Amherst for 1977), the tax
revenue would have been: $20,394.40 ($13,021.45 was the tax
actually collected on this land.)
40 x 19,610 = $784,400 valuation
$784,400 x .026 = $20,394.40 tax revenue on Tree Growth
$20,394.40 hypothetical tax revenue
-13,021,45 actual tax revenue
$ 7,372.95 difference to be made up
When the state drew up the figures on tree yield/acre in Hancock
County, all land in the county incluriing blueberry barrens and
Mt. Desert Island was used to determine the yield. Therefore,
the yield/acre would be shown artificially lower than it actually is
on wood land. Consequently, the land under tree growth would be
valued at a lower figure and the tax revenue to the respective
communities on it would also be less.
FIGURE 25
71
2. Municiral Services
Municipal services are provided by the town to meet the
needs of the community.
a.
(
(
(
Amherst obtains police protection from three different sources. The Town Constable can be called upon
to oversee any disturbances or problems until other
law enforcement agencies arrive. A Hancock County
Deputy Sheriff also patrols the area. The Deputy is
to oversee rural crime (breaks, thefts, and the like)
and he is to take charge at the scene of accidents or
at major crime scenes until the Maine State Police
arrive at which time he is to assist them in their
investigation. The Maine State Police run periodic
patrols through Amherst and are called in to take
charge of any major crime, or motor vehicle accident.
An'ierstts fire protection is provided by the Aurora
Volunteer Fire Department (approximately 2i miles east
of the center of town). The department is made up of
volunteers from Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond, and
Osborn. Amherst pays the fire department, at present,
500/year for its share of the overhead. This is a
flat fee to cover building fires in Amherst. For
forest or grass fires, the town is billed by the fire
department, for the amount of time the men and equipment are used. The fire department was formed approximately five years ago. Prior to that time, Amherst
and the towns in the area depended on Ellsworth or
Brewer for fire protection. In addition, the State
Forestry Department houses a fire truck at the Paul
Banyan Furniture Company Mill located in the center of
town. The Forestry truck is available for fires in
Amherst and the immediate are. The only cost to the
town for the truck is maintenance and gasoline.
Amherst has approximately a dozen Indian tanks for
grass and forest fires and a number of lengths of fire
hose.
72
b. Education
Grammar school education for the children of Amherst
is provided at the Airline Community School in
Aurora (approximately four miles from the center of
town easterly on Route #9). The Airline Community
School is a Community School District (C.S.D.) comprised of Amherst, Aurora, Great Pond and Osborn.
The school was built in 1971 on three acres of land
at the junction of the Great Pond Road and Route #9.
The Community School replaces a number of one room
schools in each of the communities. There are three
class rooms (approximately 29 x 22, 24 x 22 and 18 x
20) and the basement (approximately 50 x 22) which is
used for special education work, Also, there is a
teachers room. The general condition of the school
is good, but by state standards it is considered somewhat overcrowed, especially the room housing kindergarden, first and second grades. At present, there is
no hot lunch facility at the school.
The school is staffed by three teachers, each of whom
instructs three grades, and one of the teachers also
is the principal. In addition, there is a teachers
aide, and a part time special education teacher. One
teacher instructs kindergarden, first and second grade;
this year (771-781) she has 19 students. Grades 3, 4,
and 5 are instructed by another teacher; this year she
has 21 students. Grades 6, 7 and 8 are taught by the
third te a c h e r . This year there are 24 pupils in 6, 7 and
8th grades, so the ratio of students to teachers
within the school is I to 21,3.
The Superintendent of S.A.D. #63 (the Holbrook School)
in East Holden, also acts as the Superintendent for
the Airline Community School District. The Superintendent along with the secretarial and bookkeeping services
are retained by th e C o m mu n i t y S c h o o l District. The
73
SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS. Public School Enrollments
1970,
1,77
Total Enrollments
Change 1970-1977
Number
Percen
t
30
47
15
8,528
9,047
559
6.6
249,907
245,764
-4145
-1.7
24
31
7
6,069
6,094
25
.4
177,932
166,704
-11,228
-6.3
6
14
8
133.3
County
2:459
2,993
534
21.7
£iaine
71,975
79,060
7,085
9.8
Amherst
County
Maine
50
Elementary Enrollments
Amherst
County
Maine
29.2
Secondary Enrollments
Amherst
FIGURE 26
Source: Maine Department of Education
74
SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS
TOWN OF
___ APUlRST
YEAR S
GRADE
1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968
Sub Primary
First
Second
Third
Fourth
4
5
0
4
4
6
1
3
3
4
Fifth
5
2
2
3
24
Seventh
Ei g hth
Ninth
S • ec ial
SUBTOTAL
Sixth
Special
SUBTOTAL
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
,
0
3
0
3
0
4
1
4
4
4
2
5
2
4
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
0
4
3
4
2
3
0
4'
4
4
4
3
4
6
5
2
3
3
2
3
2
0
2
4
3
2
3
22
17
23
25
19
21
16
17
2
4
7
3
3
4
6
7
©
2
©
3
3
4
®
14
12
9
2
2
3
3
4
3
4
0
3
0
1
©
46 __ 136 __ 1 36
GRAND TOTAL f 43
4
5
21
3
3
3
3
0
3
*
10
2
0
5
3
1
0
0 ©
©
©
0- 06
4
6
0
1
2
2
2
1
2
1
3
2
3
3
3
38 _ ! 29 ! _ 33
1
2
2
2
4
7
2
2
2
30 28 32 FIGURE
27
SUB TOTAL
7
10
7
4
3
5
6
5
6
8
75
Source: Airline Community School District, 1978
District pays a percent of S.A.D. #63's cost for the
Superintendent and his office help, based on the percent of their time devoted to the Airline Community
School District. For school year 1975-76, the Airline
Community School District paid approximately $13,050
to S. A. D. #63.
The children at the school are provided with some
basic playground equipment. There are soccer balls,
baseball equipment, and basketballs. Tumbling mats
have been purchased for indoor use. Outside there is
a large area for recreation.
The School District will pay tuition (within reason)
for secondary education at the school of the student's
choice. The District provides bus transportation to
Brewer High School, where the majority of students
attend. Although, at present there are some students
enrolled at John Bapst High School in Bangor. The
tuition at Brewer is approximately $1,075 per student,
per year, and at John Bapst, the figure is $950/year.
Amherst Public School Enrollment
1970
1975
1978
% 19700-7$e
Elementary
21
29
29
+38.10%
Secondary
7
7
14
+100;
Total
28
36
43
+58.57%
At the present time, school transportation is provided
by the Mace Transportation Company. They carry the
elementary children and make the trip to Brewer each
day with the secondary students.
All post-high school education has to be acquired in
either Ellsworth, Bangor or the University of Maine in
Orono. There are no post-secondary courses available
in the area.
77
ANALYSIS of SOCIAL COHESIVENESS
TOWN OF
A M L RST ___________________________
CHECK ONE BOX IN EACH GROUP.
The object of this table is to attempt to analyze the extent of opportunities
for residents of the town to socially interact. If a high percentage of boxes on
the left were checked, it would tend to indicate a high potential for social
interaction. Conversely, many boxes checked on the right would tend to
indicate a low potential for social i n t e r a c t i o n .
1. % of labor force employed within
the town (estimate)
Up to
50%
70%
Up to
30%
Up to
10%
Less
than 5%
x
2. Location of schools
Located outside of town
Located in town
Both Elem
& High
All Elem
Grades
Some
Elem
All Elem
(SAD)
All Elem
(no SAD)
x
3. Presence of at l e a s t one village
center, with the following
elements:
-Several residences in
close proximity.
 General Store(s).
-Post Office.
 School(s).
-Church(es).
-Meeting hall(s).
Number of elements listed at
6
5
4
lef
3
2 or less
X
4. Presence anywhere in town of
any of the l a s t four elements
listed in #3 above
(number per 100 population)
4
5. Recreational f a c i l i t i e s in town
(per 100 population}
4
3
2
1
Less
than 1
X
3
2
1
Less
than 1
x
6. Community betterment groups
in town (estimated number
per 100 population)
4
3
7. Social clubs in town (estimated
4
3
number per 100 population)
2
2
1
Less
than 1
X
1
Less
than 1
x
Source: Planning A s s i s t a n t , 1978
FIGURE 28
59
f
SOCIAL-RELIGIOUS-CIVIC ORGANIZATION
IN THE TOWN OF
AMHERST
Number
of
Members
% Members
Residents
of the Town
Frequency
of
Meetings
SOCIAL
ORGANIZATIONS
GOODWILL GRANGE
47
81%
SENIOR CITIZENS
55
31
Bi-monthl.
Bi-monthl
Facilities
Available
Grange H a l l
A u r o r a Town H a l l
_
I
(
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
LADIES AID
SUNDAY SCHOOL
AMHERST-AURORA UNIT E
CHURCH OF CHRIST D
8
88%
ku-monthly
21
30%
`Meekly
Peomlets Homes
Church
44
39%
Weekly
Church
I
CIVIC GROUPS
Source: Planning A s s i s t a n t , 1978
FIGURE 29
60
c.
Recreation
There is no organized recreation or recreation center
in Amherst. People entertain themselves through such
pursuits as hunting, fishing, hiking and various other
means available to them in the counLry. The Town Hall
occasionally is used for basketball, volley ball, and
dances. The Grange organization (Goodwill Grange), is
active and meets bi-weekly for its regular business
meeting. The Grange, on occasion, sponsors a public
supper, hunter's breakfast, and projects of this
nature. There is also a Ladies Aid Society connected
with the Amherst-Aurora United Church of Christ
located in the center of Amherst. The women meet and
sew articles that they sell to raise money for the
Church.
d.
Cemetery
The town now maintains a cemetery off Tannery Loop
Road. The original settlers' cemetery located next to
the Town Hall is no longer in use. The town elects a
sexton each year and provides him with funds for maintenance of the cemetery. The present cemetery is
approximately seven acres in area.
e.
Highways
Amherst is serviced by State Highway #9 which traverses
the town in an east-west direction. This constitutes
7.54 miles of Route #9 within the town. State Aid
Route #181 connects with Route #9 in the center of town
and proceeds south to Otis where it connects with
Route #180 and continues down to Ellsworth (approximately 25 miles from the center of town). Route #181
is 1.47 miles long within the town before reaching the
Amherst-Mariaville town line. All of Route #181 is
paved. Other state aid roads in the town are Tannery
Loop Road which is 2 miles long with approximately one
half mile of it unpaved. The first half mile of the
81
Smith Road is also state aid highway. This section of the
Smith Road has been paved.
The town roads consist of the River Road (.29 miles), the
Smith Road (1.46 miles), McDonald Road (.63 miles), Foster
Road (.48 miles), Cemetery Road (.14 miles), and the
Vachon Road (.14 miles). All of these roads are unpaved.
There are also some private woods roads that are generally
single lane and graveled. All the highways and roads are
shown on Map #4.
Road plowing and road maintenance are contracted by bid for
the townts 3.44 miles of town road and 3.97 miles of state
aid road. The town advertises for bids on this work in the
Bangor Daily News. State Route #9 is plowed and maintained
by the State Highway Department with crews from their
garage located in Aurora.
f.
Utilities
The town of Amherst has no municipal sewer or water lines.
Sewage disposal and water supply are provided by each household for themselves, subject to state guidelines on plumbing
and septic systems.
The Union River Electric Coop (located in Aurora) which was
established in 1940 supplies Amherst with electric power.
Before this time there was no electricity for the town. The
Coop purchases its power from Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. for
distribution to its customers.
g.
Solid Waste
Prior to 1963, solid waste disposal was an individual responsibility with most people maintaining a dump spot on their
own property for their wastes. The present arrangement is
that Aurora provides the site, and the cost of maintenance is
divided among the three other towns (Amherst, Great Pond and
Osborn) using the dump. The cost is determined among the
towns by the tonage of waste each community generates. The
tonage is derived according to the population figure of each
town. Until the past year, the cost of Amherst has averaged
approximately $200 per year, but with new, stricter state and
82
r
r
AMHERST
ROADS
Federal Aid
State Aid
---- Town/Private
v1AP
4
I I n c h ' I 'II•
FICPC
1919
federal laws, the cost to Amherst last year (1977) rose to
$1,500 (as compared to $471.80 for 1976). This dump is an
open burning-land fill combination. The dump now has an
attendant, a gate and established hours. The hours at present are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday and on Sunday
from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There i s no town sponsored rubbish
collection.
h. Communication Services
The town is serviced by the Union River Telephone Co. located
in Aurora. The name of the exchange is "Aurora" and Amherst
has to l l - f r e e service to the following communities: Aurora,
Beddington, Otis, Deblois, Great Pond, Mariaville, Osborn and
Waltham. However, there is a toll charge to call both Bangor
and Ellsworth (the county seat).
The two local newspapers are the Bangor Daily News, published
in Bangor and the Ellsworth American, published weekly in
Ellsworth.
The town receives television broadcast from four stations,
covering the three commercial networks and educational television; WYII, Channel 7 (ABC); WABI, Channel 5 (CBS); and WLBZ,
Channel 2 (NBC), all broadcast from Bangor. WMEB, Channel 12
(PBS) i s the education station and it broadcasts from Orono.
There is no cable television available in Amherst.
A large number of radio stations, both AM and W are received
in town. Almost any type of music and programing are available throughout this spectrum. These stations broadcast from
many different areas, the most popular originate in Bangor,
Ellsworth, Orono and Skowhegan.
Amherst Postal Service is a designated Star Route Carrier
(#31) with delivery six days a week, originating out of Ellsworth. Approximately seven postal patrons west on Route #9
of where the western end of Tannery Loop Road intersects
Route #9, are serviced by mail carrier from East Eddington
(RFD #1). Amherst had a post office until 1968 when the post
mistress retired. Amherst now utilizes the Aurora Post Office
for any postal business.
84
COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES
S e r v i n g the Town of _______ A M S T _______________________
NEWSPAPERS
(Those which print news of the town and/or have wide circulation in
the town)
WHERE PUBLISHED WEEKLY DAILY
NAME
E l l s w o r t h American
Ellsworth _________
Bangor Daily News __________________ Bangor
RADIO b TELEVISION
(Those which cover local events of the town or which are generally
popular in the town)
STATION
(4 ,BC) WVII-TV C},anrnel 7
(CBS) WABI-TV Channel 5
BRnEpr __________
(NBC) WLBZ-TV Channel 2
Bangor _____________
(PBS) WMEB-TV Channel 12
WADI, WLBZ, WOUY--Radio
Bangor _____________
Bangor _____________
Is cable television service available?
LOCATION
Bangor _____________
No
TELEPHONE
Company servicing the Town: Union River Telephone Company _________________
Name of Exchange:
Ai tuna ____________________________________
Location of Central Office: Aurora ______________________________________________
Toll free service to the followin9:Aurora __________ Beddingtgn, O t i s , Waltham,
it
NUlL:
bblo
,the o GrteatwnPiosnde, Mariyavmore illetitanone
coUs*orn.
srved b m p a n y
(or more than
one exchange) list these separately and show each exchange
POSTAL SERVICE
area on a map of the town
Is Post Office located in town? No
Rural routes serving the town ( l i s t P.O. name and route number and
show coverage area on a map of the town):
Ellsworth Post O f f i c e
FIGURE 30
i. Commercial Business
Amherst has a number of commercial businesses:
The Paul Bunyan Furniture Co., located in the center
of town, consists of a sawmill and furniture manufacturing operation along with a retail sales show room.
On Route #9 is the Valley High Restaurant offering
full course meals, and take out service in the summertime.
In the center of town on Route #9, Salisbury's store
carries a general line of food items, some sporting
equipment and hardware. Gasoline and oil are also
available at the store.
A number of small businesses are located in people's
homes; included in these are:
Two propane gas sales and service firms, a welding
service, insurance sales, furnace oil delivery, snow
plowing, construction work, and a woods operator who
cuts and hauls wood for the pager companies.
Presently, there are no major timber harvesting
operations in Amherst.
3. Human Services
There are a number of human services available in Hancock
County and, therefore, for the citizens of Amherst in such
areas as education, employment, health, legal (Pine Tree
Legal assistance for low income) senior citizens and youth.
The following are programs that are available and a brief
description of their functions.
a. The Family Counseling Service Center is located Ellsworth. The counseling center provides outpatient
services for treatment of emotional and psychological
problems. To accomplish their objective, the counseling center provides many programs, included in this
are psychological testing and evaluation, psychotherapy
(marriage counseling, alcoholic counseling and group
therapy) and psychological counseltation with other
agencies. Also there is a 24 hour emergency telephone
86
service (dial R711P), home health nursing (for those
unable to get to a doctor) and a Homemaker Service
which provides light housekeeping and other duties as
a substitute homemaker in time of crisis,
b.
The Meals for Me program is designed to provide a
nutritious, low cost meal for citizens 60 years of
age or older. In Bangor there is one meal provided
a day, five days each week and in Ellsworth on four
days a week. The menus for these meals are advertised in the Bangor Daily News. In both Bangor and
Ellsworth, the meal will be delivered to citizens 60
years of age who are homebound and unable to prepare
meals on their own. This program is not available in
Amherst.
c.
Maine Department of Man-sower Affairs Emmlovment
Security Commission main-Wrist offices in both Bangor
and Ellsworth to help people who are looking for work
find employment. In order to do this, the Commission
has many programs to help both employers and job
seekers. They have employment counseling, aptitude
testing, job analysis, skill surveys, labor market
information, unemployment insurance (checks to the
unemployed who qualify) and worker complaints.
d.
Depa„rtment of Human Services includes child
welfare, (i.e. foster care, adoption, and parent-child
counseling), aid to families with dependent children
(ADC), food stamps and a medical assistance program
to help individuals or families in paying their medical
costs.
e.
Town Welfare is to provide immediate emergency
financial assistance in various forms for food,
shelter, clothing and medical care to individuals who
meet the income guidelines of the town.
f.
The Division of Public Health Nursing provides
nursing services to rural areas. The Public Health
Nurse works on health promotion, communicable
disease control,
87
immunizations, prenatal care, school health services, and
care of the sick in the community.
g.
Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor and Maine Coast
Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth are both utilized by the
citizens of Amherst for their medical needs. The ambulance
service out of Ellsworth is also used by the people of the
town for emergency transportation to medical facilities.
h.
The Community Action Program (CAP) provides home
improvement and winterization to the elderly and low income.
For winterization, CAP will spend up to $350/house to stop
the infiltration of cold. This includes insulating, banking
the home and tightening around doors and windows (Including
installation of storm windows). In order to be eligible for
this work, the household must qualify under the low income
guidelines and an application form must be filled out and
presented. Also, the home must be in good enough condition
to warrant the investment in materials and labor.
CAP, also has a "Handyman Project" in which they will provide the
labor, and the home owner buys the material for maintenance
p r o j e c t s on households that qualify under low income.
There is also a transportation program run by CAP designed to
provide regular transportation for citizens and low income, In
Amherst, the people are picked up at their homes Tuesday of
each week. The bus then takes the people to ? pgor and/or
Ellsworth, depending on the needs of the passengers.
4. Transportation ,
There are a total of 187 vehicles registered in Amherst at the
present time. Of these, 119 are Class P (passenger) vehicles.
This figure also includes privately owned school buses and may
include pickups and vans. Fifty one vehicles are registered
as Class C (commercial). This Class is for trucks and also may
include pickups and vans. There are 11 motorcycles (Class
) registered in Amherst, 4 trailers {Class T), 1 tractor
( C l a s s R ) a n d 1 farm truck (Class F). With a population of
211 and 183 motor vehicles registered (187 minus 4 trailers),
it shows how heavily dependent on private transportation the
citizens of Amherst are.
88
TRANSPORTATION
_
TOWN OF _______ AMU RST
t
HIGHWAYS
Mileage
Highway Numbers
Served by:
Interstate Highway
Federal Aid Highway
State Aid Highway
Town Roads
Route 9
7.54
Kenniston Road
Route 181, Tannery Loop &
River Rd.
Kenniston Rd.,
McDonald R d., Arno Foster Rd
Cemetery x . V c o o n R d.
otal ,
a
3.97
3.44
14.95
Name of Carrier
Motor Carrier Service
C o l e ' s Express
United Pa r c e l Service
P a r c e l Post
Bus Service
Name of Line
Service to
Washington-rncocic Community
Agency Bus (Senior Citizens Bangor/Ellsworth
handicapped, and. low income)
Nearest bus service (if not available in town):
Trips Doily
Once a Week
Bangor or Ellswor
Taxi Service
Local Company: __ None
Out-of-town Company serving the town: ___________________________
RAILWAYS Served
by
Maine C e n t r a l
Bangor and A r o o s t o o k
Nearest rail loading point:
Freight Facilities
Yes
Yes ____
Bangor or Ellsworth Falls
AIR SERVICE
Nearest scheduled a i r service: Bangor or Trenton _______
Nearest airport facility:
Bangor or Trenton
FIGURE 31
89
There are no commercial bus or taxi services available in
Amherst. T h e nearest bus or taxi, service would be in
either Ellsworth or Bangor. A similar situation exists
for air services. The nearest airport facilities are
located in Bangor (Delta Airlines) or Trenton (Bar Harbor
Airlines).
5. Iousing
There are 127 housing units in the town of Amherst of which
87 (69%) are year round homes, and 40 (31%) are seasonal
structures. Of the 87 year round units, 63 are single
family, 2 are two family units and 20 are mobile homes.
Currently, of the two multi-family units, one is occupied
b y t wo f a m i l i e s a n d t h e other has only one family. Sixtyseven year round homes are owner occupied, 11 are rentals
(5 of these being mobile homes), and 8 are vacant (2 of which are
for sale). One of the 11 rental units is also up for sale. Of
the 87 year round units, 75 have plumbing and 12 are
without it.
Overall, the general condition of housing in Amherst is
good. Most housing units are well kept and in good condition. Eleven homes {12.6% of the total year round units)
are somewhat deteriorated and one (.01%) is dilapidated and
abondoned. There seems to be a small but constant supply
of homes for sale in Amherst. At present, there are no rental
units available in town but they do become available on
occasion.
Since 1965, the number of year round housing structures has
increased by 29 units which is 33.3% of the total year round
units in the town. This is probably the largest amount of
housing construction since the end of the 1800 ts when the town
was at its economic and population zenith. The trend in
new housing units in Amherst appears to be for mobile
homes. Of the 29 new h o u s i n g u n i t s since 1965, 19 (65.5%)
are mobile homes.
There has been one subdivision applied for and approved by
the planning board in Amherst. This subdivision was in 1976
90
(
and contained 2.1 acres for one lot and one house only.
For the most part the 40 seasonal structures in Amherst
fall into the category of hunting and fishing camps.
With the exception of a few places, it would not be
practical to try and convert these seasonal units into
year round homes, There are a number of different
reasons why this would be impractical. Many are very
inaccessible, especially in the winter months, and also
the original construction is such that it would not be
feasible to put either the material or labor into them.
(
The following charts will visually portray the figures
on housing in this write up.
(
(
C,
91
r
HOUSING COUNT - 1978
TOWN of ADII RS
NUMBER of HOUSING UNITS
Type
Number
Year-round units
Seasonal units
TOTAL HOUSING UNITS
% of Total
Housing Units
87
69
40
i2 7
31
YEAR-ROUND HOUSING UNITS
Type
Number
% of Total
Housing Units
Owner-occupied units
Renter-occupied u n i t s
67
11
53
9
TOTAL OCCUPIED UNITS
78
62
3
2
6
8
5
6
Units for s a l e
Units for r e n t
Other Vacant Units
TOTAL VACANT UNITS
Source: P l a n n i n g A s s i s t a n t , 1 9 7 8
FIGURE 32
(
92
L.
93
f
HOUSING TYPES
YEAR-ROUND UNITS ONLY
Town of AFII ERST
TYPE of BUILDING
1 Family
.
2 - 4 Family
NUMBER of BUILDINGS
%
63
74
2
2
20
24
5 - 9 Family
10 +
Family
Mobile Home
Source: Planning A s s i s t a n t , 1978
FIGURE 33
94
TOWN of AMMRST _____________________________________
HOUSING SURVEY
Housing Count
% of Total
YEAR-ROUND UNITS
SEASONAL UNITS
'87
TOTAL HOUSING UNITS
127
TYPE of BUILDING
69
--3.
40
% of Yr-rnd
# of Buildings
Single family
Two-Family
63
74
2
2
20
24
Multi-Family
Mobile Home
Trailer
Mixed Residential/Commercial
Housing Condition
CONDITION*
TYPE
Single Family
Two-Family
A
51
B
C
11
1
2
Multi-Family
Mobile Home/Trailer
18
2
Seasonal
38
2
Mixed
Residential/Commercial
TOTALS
% of Total Units
_
109
15
1
87
12
1
* S t r u c t u r a l Condition:
A = S t r u c t u r a l l y sound
B = Deteriorated
C = Dilapidated
Source: __ P 1 a n i n q A s s i s t a n t , 1978
FIGURE 34
95
TOWN of AMMRST _____________________________________
CONDUCTED by __ N i c h a e l D. Po roar
DATE __ 3 / 7 8
96
YEAR STRUCTURE BUILT
YEAR-ROUND UNITS ONLY
Town of ANB RST
Structures
1939 or earlier
Town
58
Region
1
1
1950- 1959
2
2
1960- 1964
4
1965- 1969
6
7
1970- 1974
14
1975- 1978
9
Planning Assistant, 1978
Source:
16
s
Rural
State
State
49
1940- 1949
Total
5
VALUE of HOUSING *
Town o f AMHF,RS T
% of Total Reported
'
Total
# of Houses
Retorted
Town
less than $5,000
1
1
$5,000 - $9,000
18
21
$10,000 - $14,000
10
1 12
$15,000 - $19,000
7
8
$20,000 - $24,000
32
38
$25,000 - $34,000
17
20
Region
Total
State
State
$35,000 - $49,000
$50,000 and over
* is
s only the value of the buildings; not settin g or
97
Source: 'la_nr i ng =assistant, 1978
FIGURE 35
98
HOUSING STARTS
TOWN of AMHERST
Number of Units
YEAR
Year-round Mobile hom=
1950-1959
2
1960-1964
3
1965-1969
1
5
9.4
1970-1974
5
9
17.9
1975-1978
4
5
10.3
20
100.0
TOTALS
15
1
% Change 5.5
5.2
FIGURE 36
This information indicates the number of new houses b u i l t in
recent years. Comparing this with the information on number of
housing units, you can compute the percentage of growth.
Note: From 1950 through 1974 there was a 30% housing increase as
compared to a 10.3% increase in the four year period from 1975 through
1978.
Source: Planning A s s i s t a n t , 1978
99
HOUSING NEED ANALYSIS
TOWN of
ANlRST
Based on data from: Planning Assistant, 1978
I. HOUSING NEED
(a) Number of households
(occupied housing units)
78,0
la
plus (b) 1.5% for undoubling*
1,1
lb
plus (c) 5% for vacancy**
3.9
lc
82.0
Id
2. HOUSING SUPPLY
(a) Number of Housing Units
(all year-round units)
87
2a
minus (b) Dilapidated or unusable
1
2b
86
2c
-4
3
equals (d) HOUSING NEED
{
equals (c) USABLE HOUSING SUPPLY
3. NET UNITS NEEDED
This is the difference
between usable housing supply
2c, above) and housing need
1d, above)
(
4. SUBSTANDARD HOUSING
(a) Units with inadequate
plumbing
(
7
plus (b) Overcrowded units (excluding units also in 4a, above) _
equals (c) SUBSTANDARD. HOUSING
5. NEW HOUSING NEED
Net units needed (3, above)
plus Substandard Housing (4c, above)
0
4b
7
4c
-k
7
equals NEW HOUSING NEED
* An estimate of housing units with more than one family (or
household) living therein.
** In order to insure adequate choice in the housing market, a
vacancy rate of 5% is considered desirable.
FIGURE 37
L
L,
100
PROJECTING THE NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS IN YOUR TOWN
The total number of dwelling units in a town in a future year can be
projected by using a population projection and an
estimate o the average number of persons per household. By
f i l l i n g the blanks below with reasonable numbers, project the
number of dwelling units in your town..
Population
Average Number of
- Total Number of
Persons per Dwelling Unit
Dwelling Units
Total
Without Trailers Total w/o
2.43
3.15
87
67
Trailer:.
1975/78
211
Projected
1980
226
2.43
3.15
93
72
Pro ected
199
244
2.43
3.15
100
78
Pro0ected
200
264
2.43
3.15
109
84
In order to find the average number of persons per dwelling unit
divide population by the number of e x i s t i n g houses (year round).
From the projection of the t o t a l number of dwelling units which
you make for your town, it should be possible to also calculate
the number of new dwelling units which will be needed. Simply
subtract from the projected t o t a l number of dwelling units the number of
existing dwelling units which you expect to be habitable in the future:
Total
93
79
14
w/o Trailers
72
Projected Total Number of Dwelling Units in
1980
60
Total Number of Existing Dwelling Units
12
Expected to be Habitable in 1980
Projected Number of New Dwelling Units needed
by 1980
To project the acreage which new housing would consume, estimate
the area which will be consumed by the average new dwelling unit
and mutiply bye the rojected number of new dwelling units:
Total w/o Trailers
14 _________12
Projected Number of New Dwelling Units
Needed by 1980
one acre _________ Acreage Consumed by Average New Dwelling Unit
14 ____________ 12 ____ Projected Acreage to be Consumed by New Dwelling
Units by 1980
FIGURE 38
Source: Hancock County Planning Commission, 1978
101
LAND SUB DIVISION ACTIVITY
TOWN OF ____ AmERST __________________________
Informati on for Years 1 9 _ through 19 78
Map
Name or Owner of Subdivision
!see location on Map L-2)
Williamson l o t
Year
Total
Average
Size of
Lots
# of
Lots
Approved
1976
Acreage
2.1+
1
{
yf
w
Source: R e g i s L . y of Deeds, Ellsworth
_
FIGURE 39
102
MAP SYMBOLS
• SINGLE FAMILY
A
MOBILE HOME
(i TWO-FAMILY
CD
MULTI-FAMILY
/ ) MIXED RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL (includes apartments
't over businesses and units with home businesses)
0 COMMERCIAL
PUBLIC & SEMI-PUBLIC
f1
X
INDUSTRIAL
ABANDONED
Q
0
SEASONAL
FARM
FIGURE 40
SO
.' 110
LEGEND
*MIIC 11MUMCm ROAO6
1RAV[L *0A01 * L 1
AMHERST
HOUSING
TR
4000
fC0T
45
104
110
..,
110
MO
105
6. Xiand Ownership and U s Q
Amherst is approximately 39.5 square miles in area, containing 25,127.9 acres of land (of which 2,528 acres are
bog and swamp) and 179 acres of water for a total of
25,306.9 acres. This makes Amherst slightly larger than
a standard township of 36 square miles conteiring 23,040
acres. The majority of this acreage, 21,060.75 (83.22%
of the town) acres, is owned by non-residents (i.e. paper
companies). Of this 21,060.75 acres, 19,610 is under
Tree Growth Tax law. There are a total of 45 separate
non-resident land owners with holdings in Amherst. Nonresidents are individuals or corporations who don't have
homes or camps on their property and own the land for
other reasons than to live an it or for recreation. The
year round residents of the community own 2,975.73 acres
which is 11.75% of the total land area in Amherst. There
are 70 different resident land owners in the town. Seasonal land owners (i.e. camp owners, etc.) have 1,107.85
acres (4.37%) in Amherst. There are 22 seasonal residents
owning land here. The town itself has approximately 4
acres (.02%) of semi-public land which includes the church,
grange and cemetery. Roadways (state, state aid and town)
take up 119.6 acres (.47%) in Amherst. There are no
county, state or federally owned lands in the community.
Industry (the sawmill) in Amherst, utilizes approximately
19 acres of land, and 11.75 acres are used commercially
(the store and restaurant). There are 132 acres in agricultural usage at the present; all this acreage is in
blueberry production. Recreation, in the form of the
camping grounds on Debeck Pond, comprises 37.3 acres. The
town itself has no parks or other recreational land, By
far the majority of land in Amherst is used for timber
-production.
mere are a total of 68 lots of one acre or less in Amherst,
60 of these have buildings on them and 21 of the 68 lots
are owned by non-residents. Fifty six lots range from 1.1
to 10 acres in size. Of these, 31 have buildings and 16
106
e
a
lots are owned by non-residents. There are 54 lots that
are 10.1 to 50 acres in size, 24 have buildings and 24
are non-resident owned. From 50.1 to 100 acres there are
43 separate lots, 11 of them have buildings and 23 of
these lots are nun-resident. Lots of 100.0 to 500 acres
number 25 in Amherst, only 1 has a building on it and 20
of them are owned by non-residents. There are 5 lots in
excess of 500 acres in the town and none of these have
buildings on them. All 5 of these lots are non-resident
owned.
Shoreland zoning places a total of approximately 1,041.67
acres into resource protection zones throughout the town.
The Shoreland ordinance constitutes the only zoning in
Amherst at the present. State law does generally require
that any subdividions in the community must go before the
town p1snning board for review and approval.
The following charts will visualize many of the statistics
in this write-up.
C. RECOMMENDATIONS
Government
1. New p o s i t i o n i n t o w n government should be created.
a.. In order to implement any plarning guidelines and
ordinances, a code enforcement officer must be
selected. Tentative recommendation is that such
b.
an officer have regional (Amherst, Aurora, Great
Pond, Osborn) jurisdiction rather than be limited
solely to Amherst.
Planning Board o f A pp e a l s . E v e n i f Amherst decides
not to adopt any further land use ordinances, a
board is required to hear appeals concerning shoreland zoning decisions. The creation of such a board
is intended to provide more citizen input into
plan-
ning decisions and ruleings.
c.
Conservation Commission. If the town were
interested in building recreational facilities,
such a commission would be necessary to explore the
possibility of applying for and receiving federal and
state financial support.
108
LAND OWNERSHIP PATTERNS
TOWN OF ______ Ar,mR.ST ______________________
TOTAL ACREAGE of the TOWN:
25,306.9__ Acres
TOTAL NUMBER of LANDOWNERS:
13 7
% Resident Landowners:
51
S Non-resident Landowners: 49
PUBLICLY OWNED LAND:
%
123.6
Acres
8
Acres
OTHER TAX-EXEMPT LAND:
; of
Lots
Non-res
%of
Total Twn
Acreage
Lots
Iof
Lots
w/Bldg
One Acre or Less
68
60*
21
42.4
•
1.1 - 10 Acres
56
31
16
269.1
1.1
10.1 - 50 Acres
54
24
24
1,501.3
5.9
50.1 - 100 Acres
43
11
23
3,055.7
12.2
100.1 - 500 Acres
25
1
20
5,354.5
21.3
0
5
14,895.0
59.3
1 Z7
109
Size of Lots
Over 500 Acres
5
1
TOTALS
251
Acreage
25,127.94'
1
100.0
FIGURE 41
* T h i r t y one of these 60 b u i l d i n g s are not in p r i v a t e ownership but are on
leased l o t s from the paper companies.
* * T h i s f i g u r e does not include 179 acres i n water. Source:
Planning A s s i s t a n t , 1978
LAND USE & HOUSING SURVEY
ST AT IST I CAL S U M M A R Y SHEET Town ________ of
MIH RST _________________________________
D a t e __ January 1978
_______ Conducted by
® RURAL AREA ❑
URBAN AREA ❑
TOTAL AREA
Assistant
_Planning
RESIDENTIAL USES
NUMBER
of
auILDINGS
TYPE
NUMBER
of
D ELLITG
D WE L L IN G U N IT S
VACANT
CONDITION
Bl
dgs
IN
ABANDON- OMMERCIAL BLDG
A
SINGLE FAMILY
TWO FAMILY
63
2
63
20
20
6
1
Units
B
C
11
1
'
4
MULTI - FAMILY
MOBILE
HOMES
2
2
TOTAL YR-ROUND RES.
SEASONAL
GROUP
•
B
QUARTERS
GRAND
TOTALS
127-
125
of G ran d
T ota ls :
l
8
6%
1
68%
11
1
-
'
*
N©N • RESIDENTIAL USES
DETAILED TABULATION ( f o r rural are as on ly )
STANDARD
LAND USE CODE NO.
NO.
UNITS
USES
GENERALIZED TABULATION
STANDARD
LAND USE CODE NO.
NO.
USES
2510
Furniture and Fixtures
1
2000
1
4544
Route 9
1
3000
0
4561
Side Roads
5
4000
2
5392
General Store
1
5000
2
5811
Restaurant
Other General Constructian Contracts
Town Hall
1
6000
4
7000
2
8000
1
6619
7239
Debeck Pond
Campground
Other PoresLLy A c t i v i t i e s Related Services
7491
839©
1
S o ur ce : Pl ann ing As s i stant , 1 9 7 8
110
1
.
1
1
1
BLIGHT
COLLAPSED SLOGS
1
JUNK CARS
3
JUNK YARDS
0
FIGURE 42
S o ur ce : Pl ann ing As s i stant , 1 9 7 8
111
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OWNERSHIP
A M H E R S T
1978
iauia■
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MAP 7
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IM
d. Historical Society. Interest has been expressed in
preserving the historical structures in Amherst.
The creation of such a body would organize such an
effort.
2. The Amherst tax map should be brought up to date for the
following reasons:
a. Specification of town owned property.
b. To show the location, size and ownership of all
land parcels in town.
c. Increase the accuracy and equitability of
property taxation.
d. Would give an up to date inventory of the town's
tax base.
e. May increase tax revenue (i.e. could discover
parcels not being taxed).
f. Can be used as a community planning base map for
land use, zoning, roads, highways and location of
community facilities.
g. Used for population census and projection.
h. The map can be used for special community
projects.
i. It indicates over a period of years what parts of
town
are growing fastest and what is being subdivided.
j. Public identification of ownership patterns.
3. Amherst should pursue a capital improvement plan in the
following areas:
a. Recreation facilities.
b. Restoration of the town hail.
c. Construction of a town hall parking lot,
Funds for these improvements should be taken from the town
surplus wherever possible.
4. The creation of a monthly newsletter is recommended to
inform townspeople about planning board meetings, selectmen
meetings, and other town events.
114
RECOMMENDATIONS (continued)
Planning Board
1. A site plan review ordinance should be developed to regulate land use and development in Amherst, This site plan
would provide guidelines for commercial, residential and
resource areas. The following guidelines for residential
development would be incorporated in the ordinance:
a. Minimum 2 acre lot size.
b. Minimum 200 foot road frontage.
c.
Minimum 100 foot setback from road.
d.
Minimum 50 foot from property line requirement
for new building.
Generally, such an ordinance would insure the appropriateness of new development to the rural, low density and light
industrial character of Amherst.
2. Though it is unlikely that land will be subdivided to any
great extent in the immediate future, a subdivision moratorium is recommended. Such an ordinance would restrict
any subdivision that is not already regulated by state
guidelines, and would be in effect until the creation of a
subdivision ordinance.
3. There is no intention to regulate the use of mobile homes
in Amherst. However, it is recommended that action be
taken to insure both the stability of the tax base and the
population. Such action might include requiring concrete
slabs f o r mobile homes.
4. The planning board should investigate low cost housing
alternatives that would be in harmony with the rural landscape of Amherst.
5. The Shoreland Zoning Ordinance should be revised for the
following reasons:
a. The Ordinance as stated is too restrictive in that all
of Amherst's shoreland was placed in the resource protection district.
115
b.
The applicability section was confused in the
original document.
c. The document only applies to shoreland and cannot
be construed as town wide zoning.
d, The following sections of the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance should be retained and apply as guidelines on a
town wide basis. (Letters in parantheses refer to
specific subsections of the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.)
Section II Land Use Standards
1. (A) Agriculture
2. (C) Campgrounds
3. (D) Clearing
4. (E) Erosion and Sedimentation Control
5. (g) Mineral Exploration
6. (I) Road Construction
7. (J) Sanitary Standards
8. (K) Signs
9. (L) Soils
10. (iii) Structures
11. (N) Timber Harvesting
12. (0) Water Quality
6. The feasibility of hydro-electric power being generated
from the Union River should be explored. Federal money is
available for such construction. As electricity becomes a
more expensive commodity, local power generation may become
a desirable alternative.
116
PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT
VI
{
HANCOCK AND
PENOBSCOT COUNTIES
THE NUMBERS AND BARS I ND I CATE OBSTRUCTIONS
1
18
A.
INTRODHCTI ON
Of the three elements that comprise a community; physical environment, the human community and community infrastructure, the physical environment is both the most stable over time and the most
fragile. While population and governments come and go, generally
the physical surroundings remain constant. Yet the activities of
even a single individual in a relatively short time can permanently
impair a part of the environment and have a detrimental effect on
the whole physical environment.
The study of the physical surroundings is done so as to provide a
basis for intelligent manipulation of the environment while at the
same time satisfying the human need for work and pleasure. Both
the citizens and town officials should become aware of the physical
resources in Amherst in an effort to identify environmental values
as they relate to the c o m i t y ' s needs and wants.
B.
EXISTING
SITUATION I.
Climate
Hancock County's weather is characterized by five major climatic
distinctions;
Sudden changes in the weather.
Large range of temperature variations.
recipitation.
Evenly dispersed p
Concurrent climatic diversity within the County.
Great differences between the same seasons in
different years.
■ El
.
l MMI I I
MM
I
I I
u
*
I
I
11 11 11 11 10 11
11
TEMPERATURE & PRECIPITATION
Jan
Feb
(Averages)
April
May
June
July
Aug
March
Hancock County
(Ellsworth
Station)
20.5
3.59
:•
State o :
Maine
13.9
2,73
16.1
2.92
(cor.tinui j
Hancock County
(Ellsworth
Station)
Sep
58.2
3.54
State of
Maine
56.1
20.5
t
3.36
, •
•
•:
•
52.0
3.60
61.6
1 51.8
61.4
1.88
1-
••
- 65.3
2.43 ,
2.65
67.1
3.83
64.4
3.72
r
•
3.39
1900
40.23
FIGURE .44
122
I. Climate (continued)
In Maine, regional climatic influences are modified by: varying
distances from the ocean, elevation, and type of terrain. Hancock County's weather is divided into two zones. The coastal
division is a strip approximately 25 miles in depth, which is
greatly affected by the ocean. The Northern portion of the County in
which Amherst lies is less affected by the ocean and more
influenced by a somewhat higher elevation and heavier land
cover. The yearly temperature averages in the County fluxuate
between a low of minus ten degrees to a high of 90 degrees. This
fluxuation is due in part to the many differences in topography,
land cover and distance from the ocean between the northern and
southern portions of the county. The growing season in Amherst
for vegetables subject to injury from freezing temperatures is
approximately 125 days.
Precipitation in the Amherst area i s evenly distributed throughout the year. The total yearly precipitation is slightly higher
along the coast due to "northeasters" in the winter and more
frequent thunderstorms in the summer. The average precipitation
for the coastal and inland areas are 44 inches and 40 inches
respectively.
Snowfall amounts in the Amherst area average approximately 75
inches per winter. NormPl1y, each winter Amherst can expect
approximately 30 days with one inch or more of snowfall. Each
winter, several storms occur with over five inches of snow.
2.
f
Bedrock Geology
Bedrock, the underpinning of the earth's surface, is the result
of internal activity approximately 550 million years ago. Sediment and volcanic debris were changed to rock by pressure, heat
and agents that bound the particles together. rentually as the
earth's crust began to fold and uplift the bedrock, molten rock
from deep within the earth pushed its way into the older bedrock,
cooled, and formed massive igneous intrusions.
M e primary bedrock formation of Hancock County consists of
varying types of granite, differing only in color, formation and
consistency. This formation is a result of glacial activity
during the last Ice Age. The largest continuous mass of bedrock
called biotite muscovite, is common in the western section of
the County and extends north through the whole County. This
mass of granite constitues the bedrock of Amherst and the immediate area.
{
Depth to bedrock varies from exposed areas to several feet.
Granite boulders, left by the glacier, abound on the land surface and in the loose covering of the bedrock throughout the
county. One of the finest displays of granite boulders may be
seen on the old Bar Harbor d iv is ion of the Maine Central Railroad, from Phillips Lake in Dedham to Ellsworth Falls. This is
part of a great boulder train traceable to Clifton and Eddington in the North. This same display of granite boulders is
evident in Amherst.
According to the U. S. Geological Survey, there are hundreds of
dormant faults within the county. The most spectabular major
fault identified by them is on the east balk of the Bagaduce
River in Brooksville.
3.
Surficial Geology,,
When the ice sheets of the last Ice Age advanced through this
region, they left surficial deposits which covered the bedrock.
These surficial deposits are important because they are the
parent material of soils.
124
BEDROCK OF AMHERST
Dg
- Biotite and biotite muscovite granite and quartz
monzonite.
Su - Metamorphosed gray and green siltstone, sandstone,
shale, graywacke conglomerate and sedimentary iron
manganese.
Dg
S S T
Su
FIGURE 45
From U. S. Geological Survey Map
1960
Scale 1 : 500,000
Five distinct surficial deposits exist in Hancock County. Till,
the predominant surficial material found in this region, is
composed of boulders, sand, silt, and clay. This amalgamation is
the bedrock cover in most of the county. It is an ideal location
for agriculture when combined with the proper soil mixture. This
is the predominant deposit in Amherst.
The second type of deposit is marine sediment composed of sand,
silt and clay. ilarine sediment that is superimposed on the bedrock and glacial till can be found throughout the County in areas
not exceeding 300 feet above sea level. Characteristically these
areas are poorly drained. The only areas in Amherst containing
marine sediment would be in low lying areas along the Union River.
The surficial deposits in swamps, bogs, and salt marshes constitute a mixture of decayed organic matter muck, silts, and sands.
Such areas, unsuitable for agriculture, forestry or other human
use, serve as ideal breeding sites and refuges for wildlife. The
swampy areas along Chick Brook and in the Southeast corner of
town are a prime example of this type deposit.
Alluvial deposits consisting of .avel, sand and silt often
accompari ed by a thin layer of organic matter are found in floodplain areas. This substance is the consequence of periodic
flooding and is ideal for agricultural use, as it's. fertile and
holds moisture well. Alluvial deposits are found in Amherst in
low lying areas along the Union River and some of the streams in
the t own s
Glacial streams, resulting from melting ice, left residues known
as ice contact deposits which are most noted for their water
storage potential. These deposits incorporate distinct landforms which include eskers, kames, and deltas. The t'whalesback"
on Route o in Aurora, is an outstanding example of an esker and
is part of the sane formation as the "horseback" found in Township 32. Amherst has some of all five different types of surficial deposits.
4.
Kineral Resources
At the present time, sand, gravel and crushed stone are the only
mineral resources that are actively mined in Hancock County.
Also, within the County there are substantial deposits of peat
(spaghnum moss). In the summer of 1977, the College of the
Atlantic surveyed six or seven boas within the County and it was
estimated that these bogs could yield three to five million air
dried tons of peat. Amherst has two active sand and gravel pits,
In the latter part of the 19th century many small silver mines
including
existed throughout the County,
one in Amherst. The
"mine" in Amherst was located on the east bank of the Union River
near the Anhers t-i•iariaville town line.
r'
5.
Soils
Although Amherst has not as yet been soil mapped, the Soil
Conservation Service has suggested the following as the probable
soil make up in Amherst. Low lying areas generally below 300 ft.
in elevation may contain the fine textured Buxton and Scantic
soils. These developed from fine textured marine sediments.
Soils that developed in glacial till would be on the upland bills
and ridges. These would probably be the deep moderately well
drained Peru soils and the excessively drained, shallow to bedrock- Lyman s o i l s . This is the predominate soil in this area of
the County and in general, this type of soil is very good for
agriculture. Sands and clay are on the stream terraces along
the Union River. The sand being from the glacial till and the
clay is formed from marine sediment.
£. Tppo,trayhv
The topography of H acock County is a pleasantly varied range of
elevation with mountainous areas in the north and generally low
hilly relief along the coastal plain With the exception of 'the
Cadillac i-iountain range. The coastline is highly irregular
with numerous bays, inlets, esturaries and contains the only
fjord on the United States portion of the Atlantic ocean.
A GENERAL SOIL DDSCRIPTION OP T1 L EIGHT SOIL TYPES
FOUND IU = C O COUNTY
Hermon - Lyman - Peru association
Deep and shallow; somewhat excessively drained, well-drained,
and moderately well-drained loamy soils on gently sloping to
steep granitic h i l l s in the Turk lake area and in the
northeastern corner of the county.
Colton - Duane association
(
Deep, well, and moderately well drained gravelly and sandy
soils developed in coarse glacial outwash material. This
association is scattered throughout the county with the
major area extending in a north-south band approximately
one to five riles wide from T3ID to T14SD.
Peru - Buxton - Lyman association
Deep and shallow, somewhat excessively drained and moderately
well drained soils found mostly in the Ellsworth - Trenton
area and on the larger offshore islands. The Peru and Lyman
soils developed in glacial till and the Buxton soils developed in fine textured marine sediments.
Lyman - Buxton - Herman association
Gently sloping to steep; somewhat excessively drained, welldrained and moderately well-drained soils along the coast
and offshore islands. (The Buxton soils are shallow to
bedrock.)
l iarlow - Peru - Lyman association
Deep, well, and moderately well-drained soils developed in very
firm glacial till. This association is on the hills and
ridges in the interior of the county and is the largest
association.
Rockland - Lyman association
Shallow to bedrock areas that contain many areas of exposed
bedrock. This association is on offshore islands and coastal peninsulas.
Buxton - Lyman - Peru
Somewhat excessively drained, moderately well-drained, s h a l l o w ,
a n d deep soils that formed in glacial t i l l and marine sediments
in the Penobscot River valley and the Union River valley.
FIGURE 46
129
In terms of slope, !Amherst has a number of small mountains, some
in excess of 1000 ft. (Bald Bluff Mt.) in-elevation. The attractive
hills stretching from the northeast to the southwest corner of
Amherst are known as the Sprl Brook Mountains and they form
part of the western side of the Union River Valley as that river
winds through Amherst. The Springy Brook fountains are part of
the devide between the Union River and Penobscot River watersheds.
Prom the open ledges on Jellison Hill, (940 ft.), one may look to
the north and see N t. Katahadin, and then from the south face
observe the Cadillac fountains, Porcupine Islands and the Bluenose Perry coming into port, Of course, one would want a clear day and a
set of binoculars to do this effectively.
The rest of the county is characterized by undulating topography
with most slopes not exceeding a 15;5 to 25,5 slope range. This
is primarily due to the weathering of less resistant materials
such as alluvial and sedimentary deposits.
Ground Water
There are four sources of ground water in the County; these
7.
include surficial deposits, surface water, precipitation, and
bedrock.
The largest supply of ground water in Hancock County comes from
unconsolidated glacial till deposits and ice contact deposits
such as eskers and lanes. The average precipitation in Hancock
County amounts to 43.85 inches as compared with the State
average of 40.23 inches. Approximately half. of this precipitation seeps into the ground for subsequent recharge. Surface
waters, including wetlands close to groundwater aquifers, also
contribute to the supply of ground water, Bedrock formations in the
County are dense, and are therefore, not thought of as
significant contributors as far as bedrock wells are concerned.
The quality of ground water in Amherst is generally good. The
water is palateable as well as potable and at the present time
there also appears to be an ample supply for household use.
ICI
8. Surface Maters
Surface waters include rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. There
are 179 acres of surface water in Amherst, comprised of 16 ponds,
numerous brooks and the west branch of the Union River. Hancock
County has two major rivers which drain the northern part of the
region: the Penobscot on the west, and the Union River in the
east. The surface waters in Amherst are. drained by both systems
with the majority of the surface water draining into the ;Jest
Branch of the Union River.
Hancock County's inland waters include 179 "great ponds" covering 61,184 acres. The overall quality of Hancock County's
waters is good. This is a t t r i b u t e d t o the absence of large
industry and the abatement of previously untreated or poorly
treated municipal and industrial discharges. However, "nonpoint source pollution" (i.e. pesticides, herbicides sprayed
aerially) a type that cannot be easily traced, can create problems in the quality of surface waters. Also, Amherst should
be concerned with torpidity in its surface waters brought on by
woods operations. This could be aggravated in many areas (i.e. the
Springy Brook Mountains) due to the slope of the land.
Currently this type of pollution is under the scrutiny of
Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental
Protection Agency. Nest surface waters in the County are
rated B-1 by the Department of Environmental Protection (Class
B-1 is acceptable for drinking purposes after treatment).
9. Ilatersheds. Drain re Areas
The term watershed in this report is defined a s " t h a t a r e a o n
the ground from which all precipitation (rain, snow, etc.) flows
into a single given body of water. To simplify, it is the
entire region drained by a waterway or which drains into a lake
or the ocean.
Amherst is drained by both the Penobscot River and the west
branch of the Union River. Trout, Grassy and Great Works Pond
are the headwaters for Great Works Stream which flows west to
join the Penobscot at Bradley. The remaining water courses
drain into the Union River and on to the sea at Ellsworth.
131
r`
in the
The entire issue of water quality, which has recently (say
last 10 years) been brought to the public's attention, has undergone considerable research throughout the United States and
Hancock County is no'exception. Funding has been made available
and a comprehensive study, dealing in part on watersheds and
their functions, is forth coming.
Hancock County has excellent ground cover-and therefore, a minimum amount of erosion and runoff occurs as in other areas in
Paine.
{
In summary, although there is limited data available, it appears
watersheds are in a stable condition. The majority of the land
area (445) is owned by paper companies which means the major
disturbances to the ecosystem will be in terms of erosion, sedimentation and eutrophication, due to the current woods operations.
The remaining area is stable (i.e. good ground cover and land use
practices) with a minimum of depravation.
10. Wetlands
The term 'wetland" is defined as 'Fan area characterized by low
topography, poor drainage, and standing water which occurs at
least part of the yea s''. It may also be viewed as the transition
zone between dry land and open water. Other terms associated
with wetland areas are: swamps, bogs, marshes, and salt meadows.
Uetlands within Hancock County may be further defined and
divided into inland wetlands and coastal wetlands. Inland wetlands are areas within _the normal highwater mark of non-tidal
flowing water, stream channels occupied by non-tidal waters, or
other areas identified on the basis of soils, and vegetation.
Coastal wetlands include any swamp, marsh, bog,beach, flat or
other land above extreme low water mark subject to tidal action.
The majority of wetlands are located in the northern two-thirds
o f the County. Amherst has approximately 2,528 acres (3.95
square miles) of wetland scattered throughout the town. Iiuch of
this wetland is isolated from the populated areas of the community and therefore, the danger of depravation of these
wetlands is reduced. However, timber harvesting operators must
133
{
be careful so as not to damage these delicate ecosystems. Wetlands play a critical role in the natural cycle of life. They
provide essential breeding, nesting and feeding areas for a wide
variety of fish, waterfowl and other wildlife. Wetland areas
are among the most productive parts of our environment. They provide a IrP"gin of protection for the entire ecosystem by i in5mi zing
the impact of fluctuation within any single species. Me wetlands
act as buffers in absorbing Deck flow during storms and the "winter
melt" and then releasing this water during dry periods.
Coastal wetlands also play an important role in Hancock County's
economy. The value of shellfish and worms harvested from these
areas is often many times higher than the yield from prime
agricultural land. However, in recent years, the value of this
resource has d i rt7 dish ed considerably due to the closing of flats
that have been polluted by men's activities.
11. F1aad 2;lahs
A floodplein is the land area adjoining a stream, r i v e r , lake,
ocean, or other body of water which may reasonably be expected to
be covered at some time by floodwater. Although this sounds quite
straight forward, it is sometimes difficult to determine the limits
of a floodplain. Some land may be flooded each spring, while other
areas are subjected to flooding only under extraordinary severe and
rare conditions.
Flooding in Hancock County is a relatively rare occurance due to the
numerous wetlands and excellent ground cover. Reliable figures
indicate 92.3% of the land area in the County is forested with the
remaining 7.7% consumed by h7omn related uses (i. e., urban builtup,
gravel pits, agriculture, etc.).
The place where flooring is most prominent are the coastal areas.
Since coastal stows are often accompanied by extreme tides, the
combined impact of waves and tides can result in the flooding of
areas far above the normal high water mark. Iiany of these
areas, as indicated by the special flood hazard maps completed
under the auspices of the Federal Flood Insurance Administration,
are small islands which are susceptable to even minor fluxuations
In water levels.
1D5
12. Vegetation
Hancock County ranks eighth in land area among Maine's sixteen
counties with 983,700 land acres of which 908,900 are forested.
Therefore, the predominant land cover of Hancock County is tree
growth accompanied with understory (weeds, bushes, grasses)
vegetation. such of this understory (especially that which
produces fruit, berries or nuts) provides feed and cover for a
number of species of wildlife. There are approximately 10,000
acres of blueberry barrens and the remaining land is.composed.
of man-induced vegetational systems such as old fields, agricultural systems, pine plantations, etc.
The following forest types are the typical mixtures of trees
("Stands") found in Hancock County. Amherst has stands of
each type except of course the coastal Spruce type.
Coastal Spruce
Concentrations consist almost entirely of red spruce, with a
minority component of white spruce. Balsam fir is found to be
a component of this type, but not in sufficient quantity to
determine the spruce-fir type. Scattered mature white pine
and hemlock are also found in this type, with occasional
small numbers of individual gravy birch trees, and a light
scattering of northern white cedar.
Spruce-Fir
Areas in which spruce or balsam fir, make up a plurality of
the stocking are designated as this type. Common associates
might include northern white cedar, tamarack, red maple, gray
birch, white birch, and a small number of eastern hemlock.
Upland Hardwoods
Sugar maple, American beech, and white and gray birch make up
the majority of this composition. Forests of this type will
consist also of red maple, yellow birch, elm, basswood, white
pine, striped maple and some white spruce.
135
VEGETATION COVER
I I : Residential (10 acre minimum)
17: Other Urban or Built-up Land
32: Shrub- ushland Rangeland
41: Deciduous Forest Land
42: Evergreen Forest Land
43: Mixed Forest land 52: 12 Lakes (10 acre
minim um) 62: Non-forested Wetland 75: Gravel
P i t s , Strip Nines & Quarries (2)
MAP 10
136
(
Wetland Hardwoods
American elm are in the majority along with scattered fir,
brown ash, hornbean and eastema larch. Unfortunately, Dutch
Elm disease has practically eliminated most of the lovely
stands of elm in the floodplains along the Union River in
Amherst.
Mimed Wood -- Upland
White and red pine associated with northern red oak, white
spruce, balsam fir, American beech, eastern hemlock, sugar
maple, brown ash, hornbeam, and a small component of white
ash, bigtooth aspen and white and gray birch mike up this
composition.
Softwood •- Upland
This stocking would include white pine, white and red spruce,
and eastern hemlock, with small numbers of balsam fir, a few
upland northern white cedar and a scattering of gray birch,
aspen and maples.
Softwood - Wetland
Wet swampy areas where trees grow on hummocks and consist of
northern white cedar, eastern larch, balsam f i r , with
smP1l
amounts of scrub hardwoods allow for easy identification of
this stocking.
13. Fish and-Wildlife
A large number of diverse wildlife species are supported by the
many habitats found within the Hancock County area. Some species
are common to the area or to the State, some use the available
habitat during their enrual migration, and several rare and/or
endangered species are supported by unique habitat Lyres found
here. The many species which inhabit this area may be classified
as big game, small game-furbearers, migrating game birds, nong a m e b i r d s a n d m a m m a l s , and rare and/or endangered wildlife.
The variety of habitats needed to support the wildlife population
is furnished by different forest types, wetlands, mountain areas,
coastal islands, and inland islands.
Deer. White tailed deer are common in Amherst, but as much of
the old farmland reverts to forest the deer population is not
what it once was. This seems to be supported by the deer ki l l
137
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w i n t e r
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i n
. A m h e r s t . . 9 7 . 7 7 8
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t l ''rrn t
'orrop
":*** i t - :
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y
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ter
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:.
registration figures. In 1977, only 29 deer were registered in Amherst
compared to 145 animals tagged in 1940 (the largest deer k i l l since
1939).
gAx. Amherst has a fairly stable, healthy black bear population, The
bear population is believed to be somewhat self regulating but in recent
years they seem more frequently around the populated areas of town as
their deep woods food supply (beech nuts, acorns especially) hasn't
materialized and they have had to revert to feed closer to man.
J-ioose. There is a viable moose population in the town and it is
expected to remain at about its present level.
There is a small amount of waterfowl that nest in
Amherst each year but most waterfowl follow the Penobscot watershed
north or stay on the coast. This is in part due to the general -decltue
j•Ta . P r f o w .
in waterfowl. populationw• At. onetime, -due to large population s
waterfowl utilized much more habitat due to necessity brought on by
crowding. Today there is no such population pressure so inland
Hancock County is not considered to be very active waterfowl habitat.
Ducks that may nest or pass through Amherst include black ducks,
wood ducksip green winged teal and blue winged teal.
;,,fi t 2.r.Le
. Among this group, the beaver is the most
important. In addition to the economic returns to trappers, beaver
create excellent waterfowl breeding habitat and often their ponds
provide good brook trout fishing (although this is of short duration, as
the water in the pond warms up and siltation occurs the trout move
out).
The wetlands in the area also provide habitat for muskrat, mink and
otter (although trapping in recent years has reduced the otter
population). All of these certainly add to the natural surroundings as
well as the fur resources of the town.
139
U N I Q U E S C E N I C OR N A T U R A L A R E A S
The following are areas in the town which are not formally dedicated
as parks, preserves, etc., although such areas are considered by many to
be uniquely scenic or particularly enjoyable natural areas (such as
waterfalls, scenic drives, etc. ):
M AP
DESCRIPTION
ACREAGE
(ESTIMATED)
Union River
Springy Brook Mountains
Jellison
Bald-Bluff Mountain
,
Fletcher Bluff
Halfmi l e Pond Bluff
Bald Mountain
Dunker Hill
Saddleback Mountain
Peaked Mountain - Chick H i l l
HISTORIC SITES / BUILDINGS
The following are sites or buildings that are of historic
significance to the town (such as churches, town meeting house, old houses,
old mill sites, etc.) :
Amherst Town Hall
Goodwill Grange RA11
Amherst-Aurora United Church of Christ ""
Original Amherst S e t t l e r s Cemetery
Roden Smith House
Tannery and dam s i t e
Pershing School - McV1r'ley School
Amherst Cemetery
Source: Attitudinal Survey, 1978
'IGURE 4-7
140
NATURAL AND SCENIC AREAS
MAI' 12
,Other
Wildlife. Included in this category are such important
species as ruffed grouse (partridge) snowshoe hare, woodcock,
pheasants, squirrel, fisher, fox, r a c c o o n , b o b c a t a n d l y n x .
Fresh Water Fish. The ponds and streams of Amherst support the
following fish species: bass, brook trout, brown trout, white
perch, yellow perch, pickerel, bnf_1head (hornpout), lake trout
(togue), smelt, white sucker, eel, rinnows,. pumpkinseed sunfish,
and banded killifish. The brook trout and brown trout probably
are the most commonly sough fish in the town as the small ponds
and the Union River are ideal habitat for trout and offer good
fishing.
14. Habitats
Habitat areas, similar to wetlands, are only now being recognized
as an important asset to a municipality. In fact, these areas are
one in the same since wetlands are habitat offering food and
protection to many different species of w i l d l i f e .
Fortunately, Amherst provides excellent habitat for the mr-rly varied
species of wildlife mentioned. The town has small ponds, a major
river, all types of forest stands, wetlands and sheer rock
bluffs. Each physical feature provides habitat for one or more
species.
C. RECOMMENDATIONS
The viewpoint expressed concerning the physical environment of Amherst, is
that it is of fundamental importance to the way of life of the
townspeople; that it is of inestimable value, in excess of its assessable
economic value; and that an appropriate philosophy regarding the physical
environment would be to "live with the environment, not attempt to conquer
it".
1. In order to protect lands throughout Amherst where the surface of
the ground is moved, as in timber harvesting and road building
operations, measures should be taken to keep erosion to a minimum, as
outlined in the 1974 Minimum Shorelands,Zoning Ordinance, under
Section "1", Timber Harvesting.
142
(
(
2. Winter deer yards should be protected from
destruction.
should be strictly regulated if not altogether banned. This
3. Large-scale
or aerial
spraying of
pesticides
anal herbicides
should include
also roadside
spraying
of defoliants,
but
should not be construed to prohibit small scale household or
garden use of pesticides or herbicides, The intent of this
recommendation is to prevent general environmental effects
from occuring as a result of applications of noxious or toxic
substances, A legitimate exception is seen in the case of
blueberry spraying, where the market for unsprayed berries has
virtually ceased to exist, thus cutting off the livelihood of
the blueberry farmer who would refuse to spray, and, as the
proportion of acreage in blueberries in Amherst is small, i t
represents minimal impact in the town, (as opposed to spraying
of forest, which could easily affect more than half the town).
A permit should be required for any timber harvesting operation.
Ground water, which is the dr h t water source for
4. Amherst, should be protected from contamination.
5.
Wetlands which do not fall under the Shorelands Zoning Ordinance
should be protected in their functions as water recharge areas
5 and wildlife habitat.
.
(
(
C
L
143
f
A C T I O N
P R O G R A M
VII
A. INTRODUCTION
A plan is here proposed which should insure an o ptimum relationship between new develo pment and the town's technical and
financial a b i l i t y to provide essential services. The Action Program is
developed to proceed on two fronts; "Governmental Action Program",
and "Planning Action Program". The duties described are to be
carried out by the Selectmen and Planning Board respectively. This
program is designed to assure the ongoing planning process.
3. PLANING ACTION PROGRAM,
1. Adopt Interim Comprehensive Plan.
2. Planning Board should draw up a subdivision moratorium
statement and make presentation for discussion and vote
at a special town meeting.
A task force including the Planning Board and Selectmen
4.
5.
6.
7.
should be created to formulate a site plan review ordinance.
This ordinance would be based on the following:
a.
Popular preferences as determined by the Attitudinal
Questionn-ire.
b.
Shoreland Zoning Guidelines.
c.
Model site plan review ordinance provided by the
Hancock County Planning Commission.
Presentation and adoption of the Site Plan Review Ordinance
at the town meeting.
With the aid of the Hancock County Planning Commission, the
Planning Board should formulate a subdivision ordinance and
present such a statement to the town for adoption.
The Planning Board should revise the Shoreland Zoning of
1974.
The Planning Board should become aware of federal, state and
county assistance programs which might be of assistance to
townspeople in the following areas:
a.
Medical
b.
Transportation
c.
Construction alterations (such as
insulation installations). The Planning
Board should alert townspeople who may
qualify for such programs
8.
The Planning Board should investigate low cost
housing alternatives and compile a library of housing
options.
9. The Planning Board should explore the feasibility
of hydroelectric, wind, and solar power
generation.
10. The Comtirehensive Plan should be updated and
revised on an annual basis.
C. GOVERNMENT ACTION PROGRAM
1. The Selectmen should provide for the selection of
new town o f f i c i a l s to create the following agencies: a,
Code Enforcement Officer
b.
Planning Board of Ap peals
c.
Conservation Commission
d.
Historical Society
2. With the aid of the Hancock County Planning Commission,
the Selectmen should update the Amherst tax
map.
3, The Selectmen should join together with other regional town
officers in a joint e f f o r t to eliminate the tax burden
created by the Tree Growth Tax Law.
4. A capital improvement program should be implemented to
provide:
a. A parking lot in close proximity to the town
hall.
b. Restoration and/or maintainance of the town hall.
c.
A recreational facility (bPlU f i e l d ) .
A P P E N D I C E S.
VIII
APPENDIX A
ATTITUDINAL SURVEY RESULTS
We had a total of 111 res p ondents to the survey, broken down as f o l l o w :
11.
Sex:
Over 50 gears of age
Under 50 years of age
Total
12.
13.
Age Groups:
16 - 25
26 - 35
36 - 49
50 - 64
65 +
SirO
19
14.
5
6
8
9
10
11
12
15.
Male
20
34
Female
30
Zl
57
54
17
29
16
26
22
=
=
=
=
=
Highest grade completed:
Grade Number
_
1
=
7
=
6
=
9
=
5
=
7
=
38
Highest degree obtained:
Decree
Grammar School
High School
Degree of Education
Life C e r t i f i c a t e
Bachelors
Associate Degree
;?ivorced
ndowec,
11
Iiz-r-reed
75
6
Number
Grade
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Number
2
43
1
2
7
5
16.
Head of household:
Yes = 54
No
= 45
17.
Number of people. in household:
Number of People
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
7
8
7.
5
2
2
1
2
Degree
Masters
Doctorate
Juris Doctor
Dentist
Bh
LPN
Number of Households
12
28
10
94
1
2
Number
--I1
1
1
1
1
18. Number of year round and seasonal: Year
99
Round
19. Two people live here 0-2 months
Two people live here 1-2 months
Two people live here 3 months
One person lives here 2 weeks
20, 102 people live here 12 months a year.
No
21. Lived in Amherst all your life: . Yes
60
22, Lived previously i n :
Place
Seasonal
8
47
Number
Hancock Cty
Penobscot Cty
Maine
Out of State
9
26
8
30
23. Reasons for moving/summering here:
9. County Setting
34
Obtain
home
own
land
2,
6
Employment
3.
8
Retirement
4.
3
Summer home
5. Commuting capability to Bangor/Ellsworth 3
6.
11
Come back to hometown
7.
7 Retired.
spouse's home
Full Time, Part Time
24. 8. Moved to Employment:
Unemployed
50
11
14
29
.
25. Where employed:
1. Amherst-Aurora
2. Bangor-Brewer
3. Ellsworth
4. Other Hancock County
5. Other Penobscot County
6. Washington County
7. Out of state
26. Occupation:
I. Professional
2. Managerial - other
3. Laborer-transportation operator
4. Woods industry related
5. Retired
6. Clerical-service worker
7. Hous ewif e
8. Tradesmen-contractor
23
16
5
2
8
3
4
9
4
13
7
22
7
15
12
2 7 . T o w n s t h a t employees of local businessmen l i v e i n :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Amherst-Aurora
Bangor-Brewer
Ellsworth
Other - Hancock County
Other - Penobscot County
Washington County 7. Out of State
6
1
1
2
1
28. Income groups:
0-2,999
3,000-4,999
5,000-7,999
8,000-9,999
6
9
19
9
10,000-14,999 7
15,000-plus
11
29. Major shopping is done as follows:
'
Within town
0
Ellsworth
23
Bangor
73
Brewer
19
30. Shopping by mail order catalogs?
Yes
22
31. Physician location:
1.
Ellsworth 12
2.
Bangor
70
3.
Brewer
5
4.
Other
Boston
1
Orono
1
32. Own a vehicle:
Yes
83
Yes
70
33. Telephone in home:
34. Average hours television is watched:
0-2 hours
57
3-5 hours
33
6 plus "
10
35. Heating fuel:
Primary,
Oil
Wood
Gas
Kerosene
Electricity
22
2
4
1
Secondary
6
19
2
2
36.
Own or rent home :
37.
Home located elsewhere:
38.
Second home locations:
Connecticut 2
Dedham
P11 i otsvi7le
Aurora
2
Ellsworth
Florida
2
39.
Vegetable garden:
oval
56
Rent
6
Yes
6
No
52
Nariaville
Rhode Island
Veazie
Phippsburg
2
Yes
No
41
17
40.
Put up vegetables:
Yes
37
No
12
41.
Raise aii'1s:
Yes
12
No
35
42, Number of
Chickens
Turkeys
Pigs
Goats
Horses
mals :
137
11
15
Ducks/Geese
Rabbits
Beef Cattle
23
26
2
12
s raised for food production: Yes
No
15
37
44. People interested in raising e'i.ir 1 s for food
consumption:
Yes
No
22
41
45, Raising more animals than present needs:Yes
No
5
19
46. People interested in a farmers market:
43.
A?,
n
an i
1
No
47.
32
56
Number of people who produce a craft, product or
service
that could be marketed:
Yes
24
No
60
48. Description of craft, product or service:
Making Wreaths
Macrame
Knitting
Houseplants
Horse t r a i v i ' g
Crocheting
Music lessons
Horseback riding lessons
Furniture
2
Sewing
2
Blueberries
Braided Rugs
2
Wood carving-artist
49. People that don't but would like to produce a craft, product or
service:
Yes
No
f
31
43
50. What is preventing them from doing so:
Outlet
Time
Money
Space
Raw Material
13
21
15
3
2
51. Reasons for staying in/coming to Amherst:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Low taxes
Low density
Good place to bring up children
Hometown
Employment
Country Setting
No answer
0
5
4
22
3
49
8
52. Reasons that would make you leave Amherst:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
High taxes
High density
No Answer
Employment
I l l Health
Nothing
Restrictive codes
P m3ly situation
Housing
Isolation
Poor schooling
4
25
13
14
7
17
1
2
3
3
1
53. Importance of maintaining rural way of l i f e in Amherst:
Native over 50
Native under 50
Non-native over 50
Non-native under 50
Non-resident
Total
Important
21
23
9
33
95
Not Important
3
1
2
1
2
9
54. Answers to why it wasn't important to
life:
mai'tFin
the rural way of
Town must grow and improve.
More people mean more opportunities.
No community spirit.
77. Should population increase or remain the same: Increase Same
4
19
Native over 50
Native under 50
2
22
Non-Native over 50
6
7
Non-Native under 50
Non-Resident
4
30
2
10
18
88
Total
56. Suggested ideal population:
100-150 156-200 201-350 '56-500 501
1
1
2
Native over 50
Native under 50
Non-Native over 50
Non-Native under 50
Non-Resident
2
3
2
1
2
4
1
6
57. Isolation
L ac k of J o bs
2
3
3
1
3
2
9
Unfavorable
23
.vorable
12
64
51
Loneliness
14
,
16
Loneliness
Lack of
Entertainment
24
high
school
Lack of Cultural
33
Activity
Remoteness
9
Clean environment
2
Small Comm ni tY
Scenic Beauty
Lack of crime
6
58.
Good place to raise a
3
family
Good community spirit 11
D1us
10
25
16
34
28
83
4
No Significance
No Orinion
15
34
42
42
90
92
88
6
5
8
5
4
88
70
7
9
94
59. Need for an active social center: Ye
s
Native over 50
6
_
46
42
N
o
1
7
Native under 50
Non-Native over 50
Non-Native under 50
11
.8
20
11
5
11
Non-Resident
Total
48
49
60. Where should center be
located:
Separate building
Town Fall
Church
G r P ' g e
School
12
29
5
13
1
61. Feelings on a town
center/stores:
Native over 50
Native under 50
Non-Native over 50
Non-Native under 50
Total
62.
63.
Yes
No
9
15
12
11
7
1
6
25
29
65
Sufficient jobs in Amherst: Yes No
Don't Know
26
45
36
Sufficient economic opportunities in Amherst and
surrounding communities for your children to remain in area:
Yes
30
No
39
Don't Know
28
64.
Development of local traditional resources (i.e.
agriculture, wood) encouraged:
Yes
No
80
19
65.
Would like to see Amherst encourage more tourist or
recreation facilities:
Yes
No
14
87
66. Which types of facilities:
Cottages
Motels
Outlet fOr local wares
Outward bound type schools
None
6
Skiing and ' F # i k i n g trails 5
Snowmobile trails
4
Sporting Camps
2
p
Cam grounds
8
67. Would like to see Amherst develop light industry:
No
Native over 50
Native under 50
Non-Native over 50
15
13
5
9
9
6
2
1
1
2
Non-Native under 50
Non-Resident
20
13
4
57
44
68. Would like to see Amherst attract heavy industry:
Yes
(
2
No
104
69. What should be done with land uses in Amherst:
Develoved
*'
-
Residential
Commercial
Faring
Manufacturing sites
Town park or parks
Open Spaces
Access to Union River
Preserved Areas
18
30
25
7
38
10
12
14
axided
9
17
28
6
11
11
12
15
Maintained
71
38
27
62
32
67
66
59
70. Which minimum house lot sizes:
Native Native Non-Native Non-Native Non
Over 50 Under 50. Over 50 Under 50 :Resident
A. i acre in
3
1= 4
village
B. 12 acre
9
3
7
1
4 =24
acres townwide
elsewhere
C. 12 acres townwide
1
4
1
4
=10_
D. 2 acres townwide 11
13
3
22
=52
Other
acre in town1
= 1
,acre
a c r eelsewhere
s
4 acres
10 acres
10-20 acres
State Specifics
No NCi n i =s
Which minimum house
71. lot
frontage:
A.
B. 200
100 feet frontage
C. 250 feet frontage
D. 300 feet frontage
E. Other
1150 feet
No minimum
Which minimum house
72.
setback:
k. 50 feet
B. 75 feet
C. 100 feet
D. Other
150 feet
200 feet
No l Minimums
1
2
1
1
2
2
11
2
6
1
2
11
5
3
1
2
5
3
2
1
1
11
7
13
= 1
= 2
1
1= 1
= 1
= 2
6
1
2
1
1
10
7
2
3
1
2
2
3
1
3
9
17
3
3
}
5
1
2
1
3
=35
=41
!
=101
= 71
= 1
= 4
= 7
= 44
=18
=26
= 3
= 4
1 =101
73.
-
T
-
-- -
A. 15 feet
B. 20 feet
C. 30 feet
D. 50 feet
E. Other
7
100
150 feet
feet
feet
mile
No minimums
Native
Native
Non-Native Non-Native
Over 50 Under 50 Over 50
Under 50
Resident
,
1
2
3
4
2
1
77
3
7
16
9
3
17
1
74. Placement of mobile
homes:
Suitable Areas
7
Anywhere with r e s t r i c tions
10
Anywhere
9
None
1
1
4
9
5
11
4
7
2
Non
2
1
5
= 3
=12
=18
=50
1
=10H
= 1
= 1,
= 1
=4
15
3
=39
16
3
1
5
-49
=18
=
3
1
1
3
75. Suggested Restrictions:
3
Septic, water, landscaping
Same as new homes
2
Concrete slab
11
1
Ttailer Park
7
No trailer parks
3
Keep inviable from tarred roads
3
Set back 75 ft from road
1
Skirting
1
Pick up and neat
4
Put lien on them if abandoned
1
Establish TFTin allowed number
2
Insulated and peak roofs
2
Not on airline or within
mile
1
junction
of Routes 181 and 9
76, Should
timber harvesting and management practices be regulated:
Native Non-Native
Oyer 50 Under 50 , Over 5Q
B
Yes
'13
10
No
10
2
No but no smraving
2
Preferred Residention development:
MacDonald Road
2
Rte., 9 East of River
3
3
Rte., 9 Vest of River
6
4
3
Native
77.
Tannery Loom Road
Route 181
None
Anywhere
Anywhere with Restrictions
Non-Native
Under 50
30
6
3
1
4
6
1
1
2
7
2
7
8
5
2
3
-_
Non
Resid ent
6
=67
4
=29
1
4
2
1
=5
=11
=2
=14
= 10
,
=2*
=2
3
78. Encouragement of seasonal home development:
Native
Native Non-Native Non-Native
Over 50 Under 50
Over 50
Under 50
Yes
No
5
16
3
18
6
5
11
7
7
9
Suitable Areas
Anywhere with restrictions
Anywhere
Suitable areas with
restrictions
81. Areas for industrial
growth:
12
13
8
6
2
7
4
4
Suitable Areas
Anywhere with r e s t r i c tions
Anywhere
Suitable areas with
No Industrial Growth
Under close su p ervision
13
Non
RSsidenL
4
31
6
=24
24
8
10
1
-52
=25
22
9
=64
2
=26
=11
1
='LI
79. Should subdivisions be
more appropriately
reviewed:
Y'PS
No
80. Areas for commercial
growth:
5
3
17 '
4
1
7
2
1
S
30
8
=76!
4
2
2
=171
=
2
=3
1
1
= 5!
=
82. Areas for residential
growth:
Suitable a reas
Anywhere with r e s t r i c ti nns
Anywhere
Suitable areas with
restrictions
T,, mi ted number of suitable areas
Preferred
areas for com83.
mercial development
„MacDonald joad
, Rte. 9. East of River
Rte. 9
Vest of River
Tarr ery Loo p
Rte. 181
Smith Road
None
, Anywhere
7
10
o
8
1
5
6
3
21
6
=50!
12
5
=38
1 .
10
- 2_
2
1
1
3
6
1
6
1
2
7
3
3
1
5
= 1
4
5
1
1
1
2
8
13
1
4
3
4
6
1
4
= 1
=20;
=,5 i
-5
=1 ,
= -=20
=1
84. Suggested recreation facilities:
(
Indoor
Basketball
Community Center/
rec hall
School
Library
Roller Rink
Movies at town hall
None
(
85.
2
1
3
2
22
67
Falls on River
1
59
68
72
1
School Houses
Fzalaskas' House
Old Houses
Road tarred to new cemetery
7
1
2
1
Naturally scenic areas that should be
Whole town
26
Tannery Loop and river 40
Mountains
16
Ponds
10
87.
made:
Village
Smith Road
Shorelands
None
1
3
3
3
1
7
14
77
7
Feel that land use policies in Amherst are being enforced:
Yes
No
Don't know
89.
protected:
Level at which government policies and. regulations should be
Federal
State
Regional
Local
All
88.
Wilderness Park
30
10
4
5
4
2
2
3
4
None
Buildings/areas wanted preserved:
Town F=',
Grange
Church
Old Cemetery
Old Hearst
86.
7
Outdoor
Ballfield
Tennis Court
Ice Rink
Hiking Trails
Snowmobile Trails
Swimming Pool
34
39
7
Alternatives for enforcement of land use policies:
Elected Code Enforcement Officer
17
Appointed Code Enforcement Officer 18
Regional Code Enforcement Officer
Selectment
3
3
90.
Management of future commercial, Industrial and residential
growth:
Native Native Non-Native Non-Dative Non
Over 50 Under 50 Over 50
Under 50 Resident
,
Local ZontrF
4
9
4
14
7
=38
Site Plan Review
15
10
4
18
5
=52
,
State
1
2
= 3i
1
Site Plan
Review= 11
1
Industrial Growth
o v
1
91.
Awareness of State's
Yes
No
Some
t
92.
minimum,
mandated, land use codes:
55
46
1
Awareness of specifics on Shoreland Zoning ordinances;
Yes
No
Some
45
58
1
93.
Like to see Amherst enact a townwide z o n i n g ordinance:
Native Native Non- Non-Native Non
Native Under 50 Resident
Over 50 Under 50 Over 50
94.
Yes
No
Like to see Amherst
enact a Site Plan
review ordinance:
8
14
12
9
2
6
22
13
8
2
=52
=44
12
14
4
22
6
=58
Yes
6
4
No
8
5
1
=24
?
1
= 1
95. If no to questions #93 and #94, their suggestions on how to
assure that future development in Amherst occurs in the manner
and location that would best preserve the local way of life and
m i n i m ize the future cost to taxpayer'
I'll take that chance
Local officials
As is now
Vote of the people
State codes
Treat everyone equal-especially the
elderly
96. Should town adopt a capital improvement program:
Yes 63
No
20
97. Suggested projects/improvements that should be undertaken:
27
Recreational
13
Town fall
Roads
Road to new cemetery
12
1
Old Cemetery
3
Improve access to river
1
Church
3
Services for elderly
1
Grange
2
None
1
School
4
98. Feelings on whether they get enough town services in return
for taxes:
Yes 62
No
21
.
o own
99ULL
seises .
Police Protection
Fire Prqtection
_
y
Electricit
Medical/Health
Services
p
Shop i n g
:Education
through 8th grade
Library
Recreation
,Entertainment
,Telephone
Co
7
r
;
Needs
Adeaaate Improvement Undecided
63
63
35
81
20
21
32
8
36
50
25
31
0
29
40
45
29
43
1225
ty~ Planning
10
11
20
4
9
12
20
14
19
23
44
3
23
100. Awareness of Tree Growth Tax Law:
Yes 60 No
37
101.
Native Native
Over 50 Under 50
50
Tag based on present
use rather than
potential use
9
12
Tax based on income
2
or assets
Homestead Exemption
6
5
No reform
1
Retain present system
but grant tax refund
based on owner's
2
1
Homestead
economicExemption
need
2
only
Don't
Know Houselots
on Homes
Tree
Growth& Tax
Reform
1
Non-Native Non-Native Non
Over
Under 50 Resident
6
20
6
=53
2
2
6
8
1
1
=14
.
=21
= 4
2
_
2
10
=15
= 2
n
= I
3
'
2
102. Awareness of town events:
Yes 71 No
26
103. If no to
question
Monthly Newsletters
102, suggested solutions:
26
Regular Monthly Meetings 1
Quarterly Meetings
3
Hold Seminars
1
Electric News
4
Bullentin Board
Ellsworth American
1
1
Quarterly Newsletter
2
APPENDIX B
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The following i s a selected list of the source materials used
in the preparation of this planning document and to which
this report is indebted.
Airline Community School District: Various budget and
expenditure sheets.
Attitudinal Survey of the Town of Amherst: Conducted by
the Planning Assistant, Amherst, Maine, 1978.
Amherst Town Reports, Valuation Books and Town Records,
1824-1978.
Amherst Shoreland Zoning Ordinance, Amherst Planning
Board, 1974.
Bangor Daily Commercial: "The Amherst Tannery". August 3,
1888.
Blanchard, Fessenden: Ghost Towns of New England. Boston,
1961.
Buxton, Henry: Assignment Downeast. New Hampshire, 1938.
Caswell, W. Bradford, Ph. D.: Ground-Water Handbook for
the State of Maine. Maine State ' l i n g Office.
Augusta, Maine, 1978.
Chadbourne, Ava Harriet: Maine Place Names and the Peopleof
i t s Towns. Freeport, +fiaine, 1957.
Commission on Maine's Future: Final Report. Augusta, December, 1977.
Coolidge, Philip T.: History of the Maine Woods. 1963.
Puller, John L. and Gerald P. Cooper: A Biological , Survey
of the Lakes and Ponds of fount Desert Island and the
Union and Lower Penobscot River Drainage Systems. Fish
Survey Report #7, June 1946.
Hancock County Planning Commission: "Housing Element."
Hancock County Com-orehensive Plan, Ellsworth, June,
1976.
Haskell Associates: Isle Au Haut Interim Comprehensive Plan.
Hallowell, NaineTUct E e r , 19 5.
Havey, Keith A.: Union River Fish Management and Restoration.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife,
Machias, Maine.
Jellison, Constance: Amherst Maine Her Settlement and People,
17.20-.1515. Bar Harbor, 1975.
Jordan, Ralph: "The Amherst Cheese Factory:.
Lautzenheiser, Robert E.: Climate oS Maine. United States
Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, National Weather Service. May, 1972.
Maine Bureau of Taxation: State Valuations, 1968-1977 for
regional communities.
Maine Bureau of Taxation: "Tree Growth Tax Law". Augusta,
November, 1977.
Maine Department of Conservation: Land Use Regulation Commission, "Land Use Districts and Standards" of the Commission's Rules and Regulations. Augusta, January, 1977.
Maine Department of Conservation: Land Use Regulation Commission, Zoning and Land Use Control Regulations.
Maine Department of Human Services: Various publications of
the services they render. Augusta.
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: Survey
maps of the ponds in Amherst.
Maine Department of Transpbrtation: "Accident summary report
f o r Route 9 for 1972-76"and Node Map.
Maine Register: Historic population figures for Amherst and
communities in the region. 1969-70, 1977-78.
Maine Secretary of State, Motor Vehicle Division: "Summary
of Vehicles by Class". Augusta, March, 1977
Maine State Archives: Microfilm of the Town of Amherst's
vital records from 1807-1831.
Maine State library: Amherst Town Reports, 1885-1960.
Maine State Planing Office: Maine Planning and Land Use Laws,
1977-18. Augusta, 1978.
Maine State Planning Office: NiuniciDal Characteristics - Hancock County. 1977.
Maine State Planning Office: Standard Classification System
for Land Use Coding in Maine.
McNeish, J. Dennis: Union River Brown Trout Voluntary Creel
Census. Progress Report No. 1, 1973-74.
Natural Resource Council: Sites and Areas of Outstanding
Natural Significance.
New Hampshire Office of Comprehensive Planning: The Land
Book.
Portland Sunday Telegram: "Fremont Nickerson - Old Time
Woods Cook". August 26,1962.
Riley, George A.: A History of the Tanning Industry in the
State of Maine. 1935.
School Arimrristrative District #63: Annual Report. 1975-76.
Silsby, Herbert T.: A History of Aurora. 1958.
Somerville, Town of: Preliminary Comprehensive Plan, January,
1977.
United States Bureau of the Census: "Demographic Characteristics of the Town of Amherst". 1977.
United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation
Service: Ratings for the Soils of Hancock County.
Varney, George J.: A Gazetteer of the State of Maine. Boston,
1882.
Wasson, Samuel: A Survey of Hancock County Maine. Augusta,
1878.
Works Progress Aaministration: Maine - A Guide Down East.
Amerioan Guide S e r i e s . Houghlin-MiTfIlE,177
r